{"id":2111322,"date":"2023-11-29T17:04:01","date_gmt":"2023-11-29T22:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/d-c-spends-over-270000-to-re-paint-blm-plaza-as-crime-rises\/"},"modified":"2023-11-29T17:06:28","modified_gmt":"2023-11-29T22:06:28","slug":"d-c-spends-over-270000-to-re-paint-blm-plaza-as-crime-rises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/d-c-spends-over-270000-to-re-paint-blm-plaza-as-crime-rises\/","title":{"rendered":"D.C. spends $270K+ to repaint BLM Plaza amid rising crime"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fd-c-spends-over-270000-to-re-paint-blm-plaza-as-crime-rises%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2111322&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p><!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Tasos Katopodis\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>OAN\u2019s Abril Elfi<\/h2>\n<p>12:53\u2064 PM \u2013 Wednesday, November 29, 2023<\/p>\n<h3>Washington, D.C. Pays $270,000 to Touch Up &#8220;Black Lives Matter Plaza&#8221; \u200dAmid Rising Crime Rates<\/h3>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3\" style=\"min-width: 320px; min-height: 50px; text-align: center;\">  \t<script>  \t\tgoogletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3'); });  \t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p>The\u200d district has implemented millions\u200b in budget cuts to the Metropolitan Police Department over the past several years and crime \u200bhas spiked 40% since \u200dlast year. <\/p>\n<p>Zack Smith, a crime and \u2062justice expert at the Heritage \u2064Foundation, told \u2062the\u200c press\u2062 that it is <strong>\u201cinsulting\u201d<\/strong> how the mayor\u2019s office wants to take crime rates seriously but still\u200d conducts budget cuts\u2063 to\u200c public safety.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s\u200c insulting \u200con multiple fronts,\u201d Smith said. \u201cIf the city council and the \u2064mayor\u2019s \u200boffice are serious about combating violent crime, protecting the lives hopefully\u2062 of all citizens, but\u2062 particularly black lives, then they would pour more money into public \u200csafety \u2014 particularly \u200bputting more police officers on the street.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cInstead, it \u2063seems like the city \u200cis prioritizing performative gestures\u2062 that really \u2064don\u2019t have \u2063an impact \u2064on combating violent crime,\u201d he said, \u200dadding \u2062it sends the \u201cmessage \u200bthat violent crime will be tolerated\u2063 in the\u2064 city.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>According to data released on Monday, the 34% increase in homicides in\u200d D.C.\u200d over the previous \u2064year accounts for a\u2062 significant portion of the 40% increase in violent crime. In \u2063the\u200b same \u200bperiod, there was a 68% increase \u200bin robberies.<\/p>\n<p>Carjackings have increased\u200b 93% since last year, and thousands more \u2063have happened in addition to violent crime.<\/p>\n<p>The District of Columbia \u200dCouncil approved a\u200d $526.1 million police budget\u2064 for 2023, which despite being 1.7% lower than the previous year is almost $100 million less than the budget for 2020. <\/p>\n<p>The fiscal 2023 \u2062proposal slashed millions from the Narcotics and Special\u2063 Investigations and \u2064Criminal \u200bInvestigations Division, though it is unclear what departments received\u200d the budget cuts.<\/p>\n<p>The street art was first commissioned\u200c in 2020 by \u2064Mayor \u2063Muriel Bowser \u200d(D-D.C.), \u2062who pledged in 2021 to \u201ctransform\u201d the Black Lives Matter Plaza for $4.8 million, with an additional $3 million \u2063to come. Judicial Watch recently\u2062 requested access\u200d to public records, and the results show that $271,231 was spent on supplies and labor to repaint \u2063the letters.<\/p>\n<p>Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oann.com\/alerts\">https:\/\/www.oann.com\/alerts<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"rc-widget-10bad2\" data-rc-widget data-widget-host=\"habitat\" data-endpoint=\"\/\/trends.revcontent.com\" data-widget-id=\"278641\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"dpsp-share-text\" style=\"margin-bottom:10px\"> \t\t \t\tShare this\u2064 post!\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>A \u200dreport from House Republicans claims U.S.\u200c taxpayers could front \u200ba bill as high as around 450 billion dollars per year\u200d to \u200bpay for \u2064migrant housing and \u2064care. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>This week, the House is set to vote on Rep.\u00a0Aaron Bean\u2019s bipartisan\u200d legislation to \u2064require the Small \u200cBusiness Administration\u2019s inspector general to submit quarterly reports on COVID-19 loan fraud. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>After two missiles were\u2064 launched from the Houthi-controlled\u200c area of Yemen at a U.S.\u2063 naval ship, calls have increased to re-label them as a terror group. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Customs And Border Patrol is reporting an \u201cunprecedented\u201d influx\u2063 of\u200d migrants trying \u2062to cross into \u2062the \u2063U.S,\u2062 this week. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>4:05 PM UTC \u2013 November 29, 2023 LONDON (Reuters) \u2013 Google DeepMind has used artificial\u200b intelligence (AI) to predict the structure of\u2026 <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>November 29, 2023 \u2013 10:58 AM UTC BERLIN (Reuters) \u2013 Germany\u2019s Bitcoin\u2062 Group \u200c(ADE.DE) said on\u2062 Wednesday it was taking measures to\u2026\u2062 <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Electric vehicles continue to \u200dgrapple with poor reliability due to charging and battery issues \u2063even\u200c as consumers are buying them at a breakneck pace.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Amazon is trying to\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/all-5-living-first-ladies-attend-funeral-service-for-rosalynn-carter\/\" title=\"All 5 First Ladies Attend Rosalynn Carter's Funeral\">lure big corporate customers<\/a> to it\u200c AWS cloud computing service with a new chatbot for businesses.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> rnrn  <\/p>\n<h2> Why did Washington, D.C. allocate $270,000 to touch up the &#8220;Black Lives Matter Plaza&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/joe-biden-blames-guns-for-crime-wave-in-democrat-run-cities-the-answer-is-not-to-defund-the-police\/\" title=\"Joe Biden Blames Guns for Crime Wave in Democrat-Run Cities: 'The Answer Is Not to Defund the Police'\">amidst rising crime rates<\/a>?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200c Washington, D.C. Pays $270,000 \u200cto Touch Up &#8220;Black \u2064Lives Matter\u200b Plaza&#8221; \u200dAmid \u2062Rising Crime Rates<\/p>\n<p>(Photo by Tasos Katopodis\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>OAN\u2019s Abril Elfi<\/p>\n<p>12:53\u2064 PM \u2013 Wednesday, November 29, 2023<\/p>\n<p>Washington, D.C. has been facing a \u200cdrastic rise in crime\u2063 rates over the past year, with a 40% increase since last year. \u2063Amidst these troubling statistics, the district has recently spent $270,000 to touch up the famous &#8220;Black Lives Matter Plaza,&#8221; raising eyebrows and sparking criticism.<\/p>\n<p>The district&#8217;s decision \u2062to allocate funds towards the repainting of the plaza has been met\u2062 with mixed reactions. Zack Smith, a crime and \u2062justice expert at the Heritage \u2062\u2064Foundation, expressed his concern over the mayor&#8217;s office prioritizing performative gestures \u200cover public safety. He stated \u200bthat it is &#8220;insulting&#8221; how the city appears to be taking crime rates seriously while conducting budget cuts to public safety.<\/p>\n<p>Smith believes that if the city \u200ccouncil and the \u2064mayor&#8217;s office truly want to combat violent crime and protect the \u2062lives, especially of black citizens, they should invest more \u2062money into public safety, particularly by increasing\u200d the number of police officers on the streets.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, the decision to spend a significant amount of money on repainting the plaza \u200csends a message \u200dthat violent crime will be \u2064tolerated\u2063 in the\u2064\u2064 city. Smith argues \u2063that such gestures have little impact on combating crime rates \u2063and do not prioritize the safety of the citizens.<\/p>\n<p>According\u2063 to recent data, the increase in \u200bhomicides by 34% over the previous \u2064year contributes significantly to\u200c the overall 40% rise in violent crime in D.C. In the same period, there \u200dwas a 68% increase in robberies, and carjackings have seen a staggering 93%\u2063 increase since last year.<\/p>\n<p>The District of Columbia \u200dCouncil has approved a\u2062 $526.1 million \u2064police budget\u2064 for 2023, which is 1.7% lower than the previous year and almost $100\u200d million less than the budget for\u2062 2020. The \u200cfiscal 2023 \u2062proposal resulted in budget cuts to\u200c departments such as the Narcotics and Special\u2063 Investigations and \u2064Criminal \u200bInvestigations Division,\u2062 although the\u200d exact distribution \u200cof these cuts\u2064 remains unclear.<\/p>\n<p>The street art on Black\u200d Lives Matter Plaza was initially commissioned in 2020 by \u200d\u2064Mayor \u2063Muriel Bowser \u200d(D-D.C.), who had pledged to &#8220;transform&#8221; the plaza for $4.8 million, with an additional $3 million \u2063investment.\u200c Recently, Judicial Watch requested access\u200d to public records, revealing\u2064 that $271,231 was \u2062spent on supplies and labor to repaint \u200d\u2063the plaza&#8217;s letters.<\/p>\n<p>As \u2062Washington, D.C. battles rising crime rates, the decision to allocate funds\u2064 for repainting the\u200b Black \u2063Lives Matter Plaza raises questions about\u2063 the prioritization of public safety. With experts like Zack Smith criticizing such gestures and calling for more significant investments in\u2062 law enforcement, it remains to be seen how\u2064 the city will address this issue moving forward.<\/p>\n<p>Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. [Include hyperlink to subscription page]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, D.C., allocates $270,000 to refurbish &#8220;Black Lives Matter Plaza&#8221; due to surging crime rates. Budget cuts to the Metropolitan Police Department have been implemented, resulting in millions of dollars reduced over recent years. (55 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2196,"featured_media":2111323,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[542],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2111322","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oann"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2111322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2196"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2111322"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2111322\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2111323"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2111322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2111322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2111322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}