Demonstrations over Floyd's death regain momentum as thousands march to DC

Under Bowser's direction, the section of 16th Street leading to the White House was renamed "Black Lives Matter Plaza" on Friday, honoring protesters not just in the capital but around the country in pursuit for racial equality.

In addition to hanging up a sign featuring the new name at the corner of 16th and H streets, workers also painted a "Black Lives Matter" slogan in gigantic yellow letters on the part of 16th Street stretching two blocs between K and H streets toward Lafayette Square at the doorstep of the White House. The actions are a direct rebuke to local law enforcement staff, who had been blamed for acting cruelly Monday to disperse the peaceful demonstrators in the very area.

Also on Friday, Bowser sent Trump a letter, in which she requested that the president "withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence" in her city. Federal law enforcement personnel and equipment, the mayor said, "are inflaming demonstrations and adding to the grievances of those who, by and large, are peacefully protesting for change and for reforms to the racist and broken systems that are killing Black Americans."

Speaking of her two-year-old daughter at the scene of protests on Saturday, Bowser said, "I want to grow up in a country where she is not scared to go to the grocery store, not scared to go to work."