New York City plans to rename certain streets and paint “Black Lives Matter” on specific streets in all five boroughs, Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) announced on Tuesday.
“It’s time to do something officially representing this city to represent the fundamental power of Black Lives Matter,” de Blasio said during a Tuesday press briefing.
“A proposal put on the table was to name streets in each borough and to paint the words on the streets of this city in each borough at a crucial location,” he explained.
“What will be clear in the street name and on the streets of our city is that message that now our city must fully, fully, deeply feel — and this nation must as well — that black lives matter,” he said of the decision.
The first display will reportedly appear near City Hall.
City officials in Washington, DC, already moved in that direction, painting “Black Lives Matter” in yellow paint, reaching curb to curb, on a portion of 16th street in front of the White House. They also put up a street sign reading, “Black Lives Matter Plaza”:
De Blasio also affirmed his previous announcement of the city redirecting funds from the NYPD to “youth initiatives and social services,” noting that specific details are forthcoming.
The mayor has, in recent days, faced intense scrutiny over his handling of the protests erupting throughout the city as many protesters — including former and current de Blasio staffers — remain disillusioned by his words.
A crowd sharply dismissed de Blasio during his appearance at last week’s vigil for George Floyd, booing him and shouting, “get the fuck out of here,” “fuck the mayor’s curfew,” and “shut the fuck up,” as Breitbart News detailed:
Several prominent Democrat lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), came under fire from critics on both sides of the political aisle after collectively donning Kente cloth scarves during their moment of silence and subsequent presser in a show against police brutality.
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