Republican lawmakers, led by Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, are demanding that the Washington, D.C, government rename “Black Lives Matter Plaza” in the city because of BLM’s support for terrorist attacks that killed more than 1,400 Israelis and 33 Americans.
In a letter last week to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, the GOP lawmakers demanded that BLM plaza and a street painting in bright, yellow block lettering that reads “Black Lives Matter” be removed.
Bowser ordered the plaza and 16th Street leading to the White House be christened with BLM’s slogan in June 2020 after protests over the death of George Floyd in police custody.
But Republicans in Congress believe BLM forfeited that distinction after supporting Hamas and celebrating its “violent antisemitic terrorism” against Israeli citizens.
As examples, they cite the Chicago BLM Chapter’s meme featuring an image of a Palestinian terrorist paragliding into Israel to kill Jews with the caption, “I stand with Palestine”; the BLM chapter in D.C. declared that Israel was to blame by being guilty of “apartheid”; BLM Grassroots, described by the lawmakers as BLM’s “ideological leader” also supported Hamas’ “murderous attacks.”must not be condemned but understood” as resistance to “75 years of settler colonialism and apartheid.”
“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,” the senators wrote to Bowser.
The lawmakers reminded Bowser that after the attacks, she said that she “reject(s) 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,” the senators added.
“BLM continues to openly celebrate the antisemitic Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel. This stance is irreconcilable with American values.”
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“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,” the letter concluded.
Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Steve Daines of Montana also signed the letter in addition to Rubio and Scott.
GOP Reps. who also signed included: Jim Banks of Indiana, Gus Bilirakis of Florida, Russell Fry of South Carolina, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, John Rose of Tennessee, Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, Ronny Jackson of Texas, Scott Franklin of Florida, John Rutherford of Florida, Elisa Stefanik of New York, Buddy Carter of Georgia, Doug LaMalfa of California, Troy Nehls of Texas, Michael Waltz of Florida, Claudia Tenney of New York, and Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee.
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