New York City Begins Painting 'Black Lives Matter' Outside Trump Tower
A Black Lives Matter art installation outside of Trump Tower in New York City is reportedly underway.
On Thursday morning, the N.Y.C. Department of Transportation blocked off Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th streets in front of Manhattan's Trump Tower so that painting on the project could start, according to local TV station WPIX.
The roadway will be closed until Sunday, the outlet reported, noting the process was delayed a week due to logistics.
Last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to paint "Black Lives Matter" outside President Donald Trump's property, which has long been a site of anti-Trump protest. (Similar murals have been painted in other major cities.)
“Painting ‘Black Lives Matter’ outside his home is a message to him that Black lives, in fact, do matter,” de Blasio said at the time, according to WLNY. “In fact, that Black people built New York City, that they’ve never been compensated for all they did; that all the mistakes, the sins, everything in American history that has afflicted Black people have not been accounted for and must be accounted for — something he does not understand.”
Trump, 74, lashed out about the upcoming painted statement, writing on Twitter earlier this month that it would be "denigrating this luxury Avenue."
"NYC is cutting Police $’s by ONE BILLION DOLLARS, and yet the @NYCMayor is going to paint a big, expensive, yellow Black Lives Matter sign on Fifth Avenue, denigrating this luxury Avenue," Trump wrote at the time.
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Mark Lennihan/AP/Shutterstock New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (third from left) participates in painting Black Lives Matter on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower on Thursday
.@NYC_DOT supervisor tells me the block will he closed to cars until Sunday, then traffic will be free to drive through the mural. https://t.co/W6q5GiU1UI
— Anthony DiLorenzo (@ADiLorenzoTV) July 9, 2020
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Responding to the president's tweet, de Blasio wrote then that the project was designed to honor Black people. Trump also called the Black Lives Matter slogan a "symbol of hate."
"Here’s what you don’t understand: Black people BUILT 5th Ave and so much of this nation. Your “luxury” came from THEIR labor, for which they have never been justly compensated," de Blasio tweeted. "We are honoring them. The fact that you see it as denigrating your street is the definition of racism."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo spoke about de Blasio's plans for the Black Lives Matter street painting at a press conference last week, saying that he has been with the protesters since "day one."
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Mitt Romney Joins Black Lives Matter Protest in Washington, D.C., as Trump Mocks Him
"We need many voices against racism and against brutality," the Republican senator told a reporter during the demonstration
Mark Lennihan/AP/Shutterstock Black Lives Matter is painted on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower in New York City on Thursday
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"Great. I said from day one I stand with the protesters," Cuomo said. "I said from day one I stand with Black Lives Matter. I said 'great' with what this nation has done standing up after [George] Floyd's murder."
The governor, however, questioned why the inclusion of the Black Lives Matter sign was not done after previous incidents of police brutality, such as after the death of Eric Garner in 2014 or the beating of Rodney King in 1991.
"It took a long time but we're here now. Great," he said. "Send that message to Mr. Trump: Black Lives Matter. Excessive force has to stop. Using the National Guard to stop protestors has to stop."
"You know what's better?" Cuomo added. "Do something. Do something."
To help combat systemic racism, consider learning from or donating to these organizations:
• Campaign Zero (joincampaignzero.org) which works to end police brutality in America through research-proven strategies.
• ColorofChange.org works to make the government more responsive to racial disparities.
• National Cares Mentoring Movement (caresmentoring.org) provides social and academic support to help Black youth succeed in college and beyond.
