The sharp, rhythmic, pounding jackhammers and grinding hums of heavy machinery echoed around the White House on Monday as crews began tearing down the Black Lives Matter mural that has stretched across 16th Street since 2020. Once a defiant declaration of protest in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, the 50-foot-wide artwork—commissioned by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser—is now being erased.
Passersby stopped in silent observance or pulled out their phones, capturing workers in neon vests dismantling the black barricades that have framed the mural for years.
The removal, expected to take six to eight weeks, comes at a moment when the country’s political tides are again shifting.
In his joint address to Congress, President Donald Trump reaffirmed the administration’s stance against DEI initiatives, saying, “We have ended the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government and, indeed, the private sector and our military. And our country will be woke no longer.”
For some, the removal of this mural is more than just a city redevelopment effort— it’s a symbol of the retreat from racial justice commitments made in recent years.
When it was first painted during the pandemic, the plaza quickly became a symbol of resistance for Democrats against the Trump administration in the deep-blue capital. Nationwide protests had erupted and the mural was painted overnight in response to reports that federal officers had used tear gas against demonstrations in Lafayette Square, just north of the White House.
“There is an effect on people’s daily lives,” said Marcel Gooden, a D.C. resident of three years. “You’re seeing a mural dedicated to black lives matter being removed, and if you just read between the lines of that it’s like oh wow it’s just interesting what they’re really trying to say.”
Now, as the mural is removed, criticism has shifted toward city officials. Some residents say Bowser, who once championed the mural, has not done enough to protect its legacy. Others argue the frustration goes beyond the artwork as activists are increasingly concerned that Democratic leaders are not sufficiently pushing back against shifting policies at the federal level.
Rep. Andrew Clyde, a Republican from Georgia, introduced a bill last week that requires the city to paint over the mural and rename the area to Liberty Plaza or face losing federal funding.
With questions about D.C.’s limited autonomy looming, some residents feel abandoned by leaders they expected to defend home rule.
“What motivation is there for me to continue coming out into the streets when we’re trying to fight fascists and they’re collaborating with them,” said Naiden Seiler, a DMV activist who spent the entire day at the site, from late morning until sunset.
Bowser said the plaza will be repainted as part of a city-wide mural project inviting artists to create “new murals across all eight wards” for the country’s 250th birthday next year.
“I just hope the relationship between the D.C government and the federal government could be better,” said Gooden. “Because at the end of the day, it affects the residents.”
