Attacking art is an attack on free speech.

The removal of the Black Lives Matter mural in Washington, D.C. is a deeply concerning attack on freedom of expression and an attempt to silence crucial voices fighting for racial equality. Art has long served as a powerful medium for communities to share their experiences, perspectives, and calls for justice. Pressuring the city to erase this mural is a blatant act of censorship that undermines the very principles of free speech and the open exchange of ideas. It represents an unacceptable overreach of governmental authority aimed at suppressing dissenting viewpoints and stifling important conversations about systemic racism. This mural was a unifying symbol during a pivotal moment of reckoning and should be preserved as a testament to the ongoing struggle for civil rights. Erasing it would be an erasure of history and a disservice to the artists and communities who poured their voices into its creation. Art plays a crucial role in driving social progress, and attempts to silence artists are antithetical to a free and just society. We urge you to reject calls to remove the mural and instead uplift the powerful messages it conveys about the inherent dignity and humanity of Black lives. Protecting freedom of expression, especially for marginalized groups, should be a core priority.