A peace vigil that’s been standing for decades across the street from the White House has been dismantled at President Donald Trump‘s request thanks to commentary from a reporter who characterized it as something that anti-Trump.
The White House Peace Vigil was actually a protest calling for nuclear disarmament and an end to global conflict. It had been sitting on Lafayette Square for more than 40 years and was widely hailed as the longest anti-war protest in U.S. history.
But the vigil’s historic reputation as one of America’s landmark symbols for free speech and political protest was challenged earlier this month during a White House reporter meeting.
Brian Glenn, a correspondent for the conservative network Real America’s Voice, brought the vigil to Trump’s attention on Sept. 5 during an Oval Office gathering with other reporters.
“Just out front of the White House is a blue tent that originally was put there to be an anti-nuclear tent for nuclear arms,” Glenn told Trump. “It’s kind of morphed into more of an anti-American, sometimes anti-Trump at many times.”
Glenn added that the vigil was “an eyesore,” and labelled it as a “public health hazard because people sleep in there, they eat, there’s rats.” He also called it a potential national security risk because the vigil’s volunteers can hide weapons there.
“Take it down. Today, right now. Nobody told me that,” the president told his staff, adding that the vigil appears to be a “radical left” display.
People online not only criticized the president’s decision, but also the reporter who made the complaint, leading to it being taken down.
One person wrote on X: “WTF @brianglenntv? Do you think the job of a “reporter” is to complain about things? That wasn’t even a question, just whining about an “eyesore” and your good buddy Trump helped you out. America is such a sad pathetic place now. What next, Brian, someone parked in your spot?”
Another person commented on Trump’s behaviors following the remarks: “This man is an impulsive, easily manipulated, emotional, unintelligent old man. It’s THAT easy to make him do something?”
Another got had a stinging insult, “Snowflakes. It takes them so little to get triggered. Bunch of p**sies.”
“Don’t we have freedom of speech? Or if you say anything against our dear leader you automatically get arrested?” Someone questioned on X after hearing of the volunteer’s detainment during the dismantling of the site.
Two days after that exchange, federal police and National Park Service workers arrived with a pickup truck and a dolly to clear the vigil site. 24-year-old volunteer William Roosien was manning the vigil when federal agents arrived said he was placed in handcuffs after he refused their orders to dismantle the structure.
The vigil was first established in June 1981. William Thomas and his longtime collaborator, Concepcion Picciotto collaborated on the demonstration, according to The Washington Post.
Thomas died in 2009. Picciotto passed seven years later after preserving the vigil for 34 years, earning her a spot in the Guinness World Records for maintaining the longest peace vigil in history.
Volunteers have been staffing the site in round-the-clock shifts since the 1980s.
A video The Washington Post obtained reportedly showed officers pulling apart pieces of the vigil and leaving political placards, flags, protest literature and other items lying on the ground.
“This is a disgrace, and you should all feel ashamed,” shouted Roosien. “Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for 44 years, someone has sat here, advocating for people around the world who we don’t know. Advocating for human rights. Advocating for peace.”
Officers released Roosien without arrest after taking down the vigil themselves. One officer told him he could remain at the site once they left.
“The vigil will still remain because of you. You are the vigil,” the officer reportedly said.
Philipos Melaku-Bello, a longtime vigil volunteer, told The Associated Press that the White House mischaracterized the protest site as a shelter “just to fit what is in Trump’s agenda of removing the encampments.”
“The difference between an encampment and a vigil is that an encampment is where homeless people live,” Melaku-Bello told the outlet. “As you can see, I don’t have a bed. I have signs, and it is covered by the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression.”
Melaku-Bello added that no weapons or rats were ever at the vigil, contrary to Glenn’s assertions.
When Trump delivered remarks about removing the vigil and disbanding its volunteers, he connected the effort to the city-wide federal initiative he launched in August to dismantle homeless encampments and curtail violent crime in Washington, D.C.
“That was a tough one,” the president said the day after the vigil was taken down. “It’s been there for many years. We took it down. It came down very quickly.”
Melaku-Bello said he’s contacted attorneys to see if they can take action for civil rights violations.
Lafayette Park has been a longtime site for political and social demonstrations, according to the National Park Service. Demonstrators arranging organized activities that include “First Amendment demonstrations” and “events that require any type of setup” are required to obtain a public gathering permit.
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