A BLM banner should never have been draped on the US Embassy in the first place!
A Black Lives Matter banner that was draped outside the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, was removed Monday just days after it was put on display in a show of solidarity for the anti-racist movement, according to reports from Bloomberg and The Washington Post.
On Saturday, the embassy tweeted a photo of the large banner outside its mission building. The Black Lives Matter movement has regained momentum after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died as a result of an arrest by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. Floyd’s death sparked demonstrations across the U.S. and the world, including in South Korea.
“The U.S. Embassy stands in solidarity with fellow Americans grieving and peacefully protesting to demand positive change………Our #BlackLivesMatter banner shows our support for the fight against racial injustice and police brutality as we strive to be a more inclusive & just society.”
US Embassy Statement
But just two days after the banner was unfurled, U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris ordered the banner taken down to avoid the “misperception” that taxpayer dollars were used to back the organization, The Washington Post reports.
“The Ambassador decided to put the Black Lives Banner up to communicate a message of solidarity with Americans concerned with racism, especially racial violence against African Americans…….. However, the Ambassador’s intent was not to support or encourage donations to any specific organization. To avoid the misperception that American taxpayer dollars were spent to benefit such organizations, he directed that the banner be removed.”
US Embassy Spokesman
Bloomberg Monday reported the banner was removed after it was brought to the attention of President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The two reportedly disapproved of the banner.
The Black Lives Matter banner and a rainbow flag displayed for LGBTQ Pride Month were both replaced with a banner marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, the outlets report.
Black Lives Matter banner removed from US embassy in Seoul
Calamity Jane