D.C. spends $270K+ to repaint BLM Plaza amid rising crime
OAN’s Abril Elfi
12:53 PM – Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Washington, D.C. Pays $270,000 to Touch Up “Black Lives Matter Plaza” Amid Rising Crime Rates
The district has implemented millions in budget cuts to the Metropolitan Police Department over the past several years and crime has spiked 40% since last year.
Zack Smith, a crime and justice expert at the Heritage Foundation, told the press that it is “insulting” how the mayor’s office wants to take crime rates seriously but still conducts budget cuts to public safety.
“It’s insulting on multiple fronts,” Smith said. “If the city council and the mayor’s office are serious about combating violent crime, protecting the lives hopefully of all citizens, but particularly black lives, then they would pour more money into public safety — particularly putting more police officers on the street.”
“Instead, it seems like the city is prioritizing performative gestures that really don’t have an impact on combating violent crime,” he said, adding it sends the “message that violent crime will be tolerated in the city.”
According to data released on Monday, the 34% increase in homicides in D.C. over the previous year accounts for a significant portion of the 40% increase in violent crime. In the same period, there was a 68% increase in robberies.
Carjackings have increased 93% since last year, and thousands more have happened in addition to violent crime.
The District of Columbia Council approved a $526.1 million police budget for 2023, which despite being 1.7% lower than the previous year is almost $100 million less than the budget for 2020.
The fiscal 2023 proposal slashed millions from the Narcotics and Special Investigations and Criminal Investigations Division, though it is unclear what departments received the budget cuts.
The street art was first commissioned in 2020 by Mayor Muriel Bowser (D-D.C.), who pledged in 2021 to “transform” the Black Lives Matter Plaza for $4.8 million, with an additional $3 million to come. Judicial Watch recently requested access to public records, and the results show that $271,231 was spent on supplies and labor to repaint the letters.
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Why did Washington, D.C. allocate $270,000 to touch up the “Black Lives Matter Plaza” amidst rising crime rates?
Washington, D.C. Pays $270,000 to Touch Up “Black Lives Matter Plaza” Amid Rising Crime Rates
(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
OAN’s Abril Elfi
12:53 PM – Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Washington, D.C. has been facing a drastic rise in crime rates over the past year, with a 40% increase since last year. Amidst these troubling statistics, the district has recently spent $270,000 to touch up the famous “Black Lives Matter Plaza,” raising eyebrows and sparking criticism.
The district’s decision to allocate funds towards the repainting of the plaza has been met with mixed reactions. Zack Smith, a crime and justice expert at the Heritage Foundation, expressed his concern over the mayor’s office prioritizing performative gestures over public safety. He stated that it is “insulting” how the city appears to be taking crime rates seriously while conducting budget cuts to public safety.
Smith believes that if the city council and the mayor’s office truly want to combat violent crime and protect the lives, especially of black citizens, they should invest more money into public safety, particularly by increasing the number of police officers on the streets.
Instead, the decision to spend a significant amount of money on repainting the plaza sends a message that violent crime will be tolerated in the city. Smith argues that such gestures have little impact on combating crime rates and do not prioritize the safety of the citizens.
According to recent data, the increase in homicides by 34% over the previous year contributes significantly to the overall 40% rise in violent crime in D.C. In the same period, there was a 68% increase in robberies, and carjackings have seen a staggering 93% increase since last year.
The District of Columbia Council has approved a $526.1 million police budget for 2023, which is 1.7% lower than the previous year and almost $100 million less than the budget for 2020. The fiscal 2023 proposal resulted in budget cuts to departments such as the Narcotics and Special Investigations and Criminal Investigations Division, although the exact distribution of these cuts remains unclear.
The street art on Black Lives Matter Plaza was initially commissioned in 2020 by Mayor Muriel Bowser (D-D.C.), who had pledged to “transform” the plaza for $4.8 million, with an additional $3 million investment. Recently, Judicial Watch requested access to public records, revealing that $271,231 was spent on supplies and labor to repaint the plaza’s letters.
As Washington, D.C. battles rising crime rates, the decision to allocate funds for repainting the Black Lives Matter Plaza raises questions about the prioritization of public safety. With experts like Zack Smith criticizing such gestures and calling for more significant investments in law enforcement, it remains to be seen how the city will address this issue moving forward.
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