GOP lawmakers request mayor to rename ‘Black Lives Matter Plaza’.
OAN’s Elizabeth Volberding
6:10 PM – Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Republican lawmakers have demanded an immediate renaming of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Plaza in Washington, D.C., due to allegations of the organization’s support for Hamas.
Republican legislators are calling for the renaming of the two-block area in front of the White House after accusing the BLM organization of expressing support for Hamas and spreading anti-Israel statements.
BLM is a political and social movement that aims to bring attention to racism, discrimination, and racial inequality. In 2020, following BLM protests and riots, the plaza was constructed in front of the White House.
However, after BLM chapters across the country allegedly shared anti-Semitic content on social media, supporting the spread of pro-Hamas propaganda, many Republicans are now pushing for the plaza to be renamed.
“BLM chapters across the nation have circulated disturbing anti-Semitic rhetoric and images on social media, encouraging the spread of pro-Hamas propaganda,” the group of more than 20 House and Senate Republican members said in a statement accompanying their letter. “Continuing to honor terrorist sympathizers with a plaza in our nation’s capital is a slap in the face to all Americans, especially Jewish and Israeli Americans.”
The lawmakers who signed the letter included: Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.); and Reps. Elisa Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.).
Following Hamas’ recent attack on Israel, multiple BLM chapters expressed support for Palestine and seemed to justify the terrorist group’s actions.
The Hamas attacks resulted in over 1,400 deaths and the abduction of hundreds of hostages, including both Israelis and Americans, who were taken to Gaza. In response, the IDF has launched airstrikes.
Many lawmakers believe that honoring terrorist sympathizers with a plaza in the United States’ capital is a disrespectful act, particularly towards Jewish Americans.
The full text of the letter reads:
Dear Mayor Bowser: We write to urge you to immediately rename “Black Lives Matter Plaza” and remove the street painting that reads “Black Lives Matter” due to that movement’s celebration of violent anti-Semitic terrorism. On October 7th, 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, murdering more than 1,300 innocent civilians and taking more than 100 hostages, including American citizens. Shockingly, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement expressed support for the murderers. For instance, the Chicago BLM Chapter posted an image of a Palestinian terrorist paragliding into Israel to kill Jews with the caption, “I stand with Palestine.” Further, the D.C. chapter of BLM posted that Israel is guilty of “apartheid,” while sharing posts that cast doubt on the atrocities that took place on October 7th, including the beheading of babies. Moreover, BLM Grassroots, BLM’s main “on the ground assembly of chapters” and the ideological leader of BLM right now, also threw its support behind these murderous attacks. These posts are meant to delegitimize Israel and rationalize brutal attacks on the Jewish people. It is hard to escape the conclusion that these statements are motivated by an ugly animus against the Jewish people. BLM Grassroots said the Hamas attack “must not be condemned but understood” as resistance to “75 years of settler colonialism and apartheid.” Those 75 years account for the entire existence of the Jewish state. You stated after the attacks that you “reject terrorism in all its forms” and that “antisemitism has no place in our institutions, our country, our world or our hearts.” We wholeheartedly agree with this statement. We further believe that movements that celebrate violent anti-Semitism should not be honored by the government with a plaza, especially one located directly outside of our nation’s White House. BLM continues to openly celebrate the antisemitic Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel. This stance is irreconcilable with American values. America must clearly affirm its stance against antisemitism, wherever it appears. We therefore urge you to immediately rename the Black Lives Matter Plaza, to remove the associated street painting in the plaza, and to end the city’s celebration of this terrorist sympathizer group. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Tom Emmer’s House Speaker Bid lasts hours while MSNBC pundit Michael Cohen testifies against Trump.
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott visits Chicago to speak to voters.
A new lawsuit accuses NewsGuard of defaming Consortium News.
A humanitarian aid group in Israel gives OAN an exclusive look at scenes following Hamas’s attack on Israel.
Elon Musk said the social media platform X will soon launch two new tiers of premium subscriptions.
Bitcoin jumped on Friday above $30,000 for first time since July, taking gains for the week past 10%.
Meta and TikTok have been given a week to provide details on measures taken to counter the spread of terrorist, violent content and hate speech on their platforms.
Netflix increased subscription prices for some streaming plans as it shattered expectations for new customers.
rnrn
How have recent attacks by Hamas on Israel influenced the demand to rename the plaza associated with the Black Lives Matter movement?
Heodore organization that supports violent anti-Semitic terrorism.
The letter goes on to state the lawmakers’ belief that the BLM movement’s support for Hamas and its celebration of violent anti-Semitic acts disqualifies it from being honored with a plaza in the nation’s capital. They argue that America should clearly affirm its stance against anti-Semitism and should not tolerate movements that promote violence and hatred.
Renaming the plaza and removing the street painting associated with the Black Lives Matter movement has garnered support from several Republican lawmakers, including Senators Marco Rubio, Thom Tillis, Lindsey Graham, Rick Scott, Josh Hawley, Marsha Blackburn, and Bill Cassidy, as well as Representatives Elisa Stefanik, Jim Banks, and Jeff Duncan. These lawmakers believe that continuing to honor an organization that sympathizes with terrorists is not only disrespectful to all Americans but particularly offensive to Jewish and Israeli Americans.
The demand to rename the plaza comes in the wake of recent attacks by Hamas on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 innocent civilians and the abduction of hundreds of hostages. BLM chapters expressing support for Palestine and downplaying the severity of these attacks have further fueled the call for a name change.
It remains to be seen whether the demand to rename the plaza will gain traction and what actions will be taken by Washington, D.C. officials in response. As the debate continues, it raises important questions about the
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...