In Washington, Trump attacks the peace camp outside the White House
For more than forty years, activists have taken turns maintaining a nuclear disarmament and peace encampment across the street from the White House. The encampment was partially dismantled on September 7th, on the orders of US President Donald Trump, as part of his cleanup of the nation's capital.
It is “the longest-running act of protest in US history,” the Washington Post points out . For forty-four years, peace activists have been taking turns “holding a 24/7 vigil for peace in a makeshift encampment on Lafayette Square, across from the White House [in Washington], for the past 44 years.”
This makeshift camp has survived “seven American presidents, countless world conflicts, hurricanes and snowstorms, heat waves and floods,” the daily newspaper of the federal capital continues.
But on September 7, Donald Trump decided to crack down as part of his cleanup of the federal capital, which has seen the deployment of the National Guard in the streets of Washington and the dismantling of homeless encampments . On his orders, “federal law enforcement dismantled part of the encampment, including the large blue tarp used to protect the protesters and their signs, and arrested the activist who was on duty that morning,” reports the Washington Post .
In a statement, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers justified the action by stressing:
“President Trump is committed to ensuring the safety of Washington residents and visitors, as well as to beautifying the nation’s capital. This tent posed a danger to visitors to the White House and its surrounding areas.”
But all this didn't stop Philipos Melaku-Bello, the encampment's longest-serving permanent activist, aged 63 and in a wheelchair, "from returning to set up camp in front of the White House and, with the help of activists, rebuilding the encampment." It is now protected by a red umbrella instead of the blue tarp.
Courrier International
