President Donald Trump, who has pledged to erase homeless encampments in Washington ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary next year, told his staff Friday to remove a makeshift blue tent that has stood across from the White House for 44 years.
Erected in 1981, the White House Peace Vigil, recognized as the nation’s longest continuous peace vigil, called for nuclear disarmament and an end to global conflicts. To maintain its position in Lafayette Square, just across Pennsylvania Avenue and visible from the north side of the White House, the demonstration must be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A reporter on Friday at the Oval Office informed Trump of the peace vigil — now staffed by Philipos Melaku-Bello, 63, and a group of rotating volunteers. The reporter described the tent as an “eyesore” supported by the “radical left.”
The tent is draped with flags and anti-war banners, including one that reads, “War is not the answer.”
“Where is this?” Trump said. After being told of the location by the reporter, Trump turned to staffers.
“Take it down,” he said. “Take it down today, right now. Nobody told me that. … Take it down. … We’re going to look into it right now. We have removed over 50 tent sites, not 50 tents, hundreds and hundreds, maybe 1,000, I think it’s over 1,000 tents, but 50 sites. So, I’m a little surprised to hear that, but we’re going to look into it right now.”
In May, Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., wrote to the Interior Department, demanding the agency review the protest’s legality and end the demonstration if deemed unlawful, The Washington Post reported. He called the vigil “a 24/7 eyesore” and accused the protesters who maintain it of commandeering a national park.
“Let me be clear: Nothing in the Constitution guarantees the right to erect permanent structures and occupy public land day after day, year after year, in a manner that creates public safety hazards, degrades the appearance of one of our most iconic parks, and burdens both the District and the National Park Service,” Van Drew wrote to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
When the Post asked about the legality of his protest, Melaku-Bello pointed to a handwritten copy of the First Amendment. He said it wasn’t the first time someone has pushed to disband the vigil.
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