Black people appalled

Trump removes “Black Lives Matter” lettering

Tears roll down Starlette Thomas' face as she holds a piece of tape from the Black Lives Matter installation.(Bild: APA/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Construction work to remove the famous "Black Lives Matter" art installation has begun in the US capital Washington. While workers used jackhammers to remove the huge yellow lettering from the street on Monday (local time), numerous onlookers gathered.

"I had to be here to witness it," explains Starlette Thomas, who was at the George Floyd protests in 2020. "For me, the Black Lives Matter lettering carved in stone was a declaration that someone was here. To see it destroyed in that way was very hurtful. Walking away with a piece of it means it's not gone. It's more than bricks and mortar."

The "Black Lives Matter" sign has been displayed in the center of Washington since June 2020. It was placed there after the nationwide protests against racism and police violence following the death of African-American George Floyd in a brutal police operation in Minneapolis. In the USA, unarmed black people are repeatedly the victims of fatal police violence. Floyd's death also awakened a new awareness of the history of slavery and its effects.

Many are horrified and believe that Trump does not care about black history.(Bild: APA/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Two African-American women told AFP that they had come to take one last look at the famous lettering. They made no secret of their dismay at its removal. "What's next?" asked 57-year-old Tajuana McCallister. Referring to US President Donald Trump, she said: "He obviously doesn't care about black history."

During the protests at the time, demonstrators also regularly gathered near the White House. Incidentally, Trump had openly threatened to use the military against protesters during his first term in office.

Pressure and weight of current state power
Since Trump's return to the White House, the lettering has been an open thorn in the side of Republicans in Congress. Last week, Mayor Muriel Bowser then announced its removal - apparently bowing to political pressure. The Democrat is keen to work well with Trump and Congress, particularly in view of Republican demands for a complete repeal of the liberal city's extensive right to self-government. Washington is also massively affected by the staff cuts at federal agencies driven by Trump and his adviser Elon Musk.

"We have more important things to do than fight over something that was very important to us and to history," Bowser told reporters last week. "But now we're focused on making sure our residents and our economy survive."

"Too much crime, too much graffiti"
At the end of February, Trump massively criticized Browser and announced that the federal government he was leading was seeking to take control of the capital. The city administration under Bowser was not doing its job properly - "too much crime, too much graffiti, too many tents on the lawns", he said, referring to homeless people. In the presidential election in November, the right-wing populist made gains among many other voter groups, including black voters. However, the government recently made numerous cuts to programmes to promote diversity, equality and inclusion - abbreviated as DEI - which have been demonized by Trump in the past as discrimination against white people.