Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser will remove the “Black Lives Matter” mural in the nation’s capital, multiple outlets reported.

The Democratic mayor issued a statement on Tuesday regarding Black Lives Matter Plaza.

“We have long considered Black Lives Matter Plaza’s evolution and the plaza will be part of DC’s America 250 mural project,” Bowser said.

“The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference. The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern,” she continued.

From The Washington Times:

The mayor said the District’s concern now is adjusting to dire revenue forecasts that show the city losing more than $300 million in tax revenue in each of the next three years due to the Trump administration’s push for federal layoffs, building sales and spending cuts.

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“While I recognize that there is frustration, and people want someone to blame or they want somebody to be mad at, I don’t think that’s where we are in D.C.,” Ms. Bowser said at a press briefing. “I think we’re in the place where we’re locking arms. They want us to be smart and strategic and get to the other side. And that’s my job — I’m going to navigate us to the other side.”

Ms. Bowser didn’t offer a timeline of when the mural and street name would be removed.

Her announcement came after Rep. Andrew Clyde, Georgia Republican, introduced a bill this week threatening to pull federal funding over the contested two-block area.

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More from the Associated Press:

In Trump’s second stint in the White House, Bowser has worked to avoid conflict and downplay any points of contention. She traveled to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate to meet with president after his election and has publicly emphasized their points of agreement, such as a mutual desire to return federal workers back to their offices full time.

Trump recently revived a frequent campaign talking point about wanting a federal “takeover” of the nation’s capital, describing Washington as riddled with crime, graffiti and homeless encampments. Bowser has refused to comment on reports that the White House was preparing an executive order targeting Washington; she publicly said that the greatest threat to the so-called Home Rule autonomy was “some of the people in Congress.”

Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress, have repeatedly threatened to interfere in city affairs in large and small ways. A measure currently before Congress, named the BOWSER Act, seeks to completely revoke the Home Rule Act of 1973 that grants the capital city limited autonomy.

That would be a deeply controversial, likely testing the strength of the three-seat GOP House majority. Some representatives have used budget riders to target Washington policies ranging from marijuana legalization to whether right turns on red lights should be legal. And some in Congress have spoken publicly of their disdain for the Black Lives Matter street painting.

 

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