Across the country, an outpouring of support for protests in dozens of major cities over the murder of Minneapolis resident and father of two George Floyd at the hands of police. The city of Washington, D.C. is showing that support in.a unique way.
City workers were busying painting the words “Black Lives Matter” across D.C. streets on Friday morning in a show of support for the movement and the protesters.
A local NBC affiliate in D.C. reports that:
‘Before dawn Friday, a D.C. Department of Public Works crew closed the street so the painting could begin. The yellow letters stretched from curb to curb of 16th Street NW between H and K streets.
‘The two blocks are just north of Lafayette Square, where anti-police-brutality and anti-racism protesters have chanted “Black lives matter” for a week, moved by the death of George Floyd.’
The paint will not be removed after the protests unless the city plans to spend a lot of money to repaint and take back the words that are all too important to say in this time of pain and crisis. The memorial to this movement should last forever.
While the sentiment is lovely, Black Lives Matter organizers in D.C. reminded city officials that words painted on a street won’t mean much if they’re not backed by real reform.
‘Black Lives Matter DC asked the mayor’s office to match words with action, saying in a tweet, “This is performative and a distraction from her inaction and active counter organizing to our demands to decrease the police budget and invest in community.”’
Twitter weighed in on the city’s efforts to support protesters. Read some of their comments below:
Featured image screenshot via YouTube
