Nancy Mace Vows to 'Fight Like Hell' to Rename Former Black Lives Matter Plaza After Charlie Kirk

Representative Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) has introduced legislation to rename the two-block stretch of Washington, D.C., formerly known as Black Lives Matter Plaza after conservative activist Charlie Kirk, on the three-month anniversary of his death.

What Mace Says

Mace framed the proposal as both a tribute to Kirk and a defense of the First Amendment and free speech. She told Fox News Digital she intends to "fight like hell" for the renaming, while acknowledging the bill may not reach a House floor vote.

A new House bill would rename the former Black Lives Matter Plaza after Charlie Kirk.

"Black Lives Matter is a terrorist organization that wants to defund the police and take your speech away," Mace said, a characterization that has been made by some critics but is not an official designation.

Background And Context

Black Lives Matter rose to national prominence following the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In June 2020, Washington, D.C., officials renamed a two-block stretch as Black Lives Matter Plaza and painted a large mural reading "Black Lives Matter" across the street.

That designation was reversed in March of this year amid pressure from Republican lawmakers, including former President Donald Trump, as part of a broader pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., leaves the U.S. Capitol in Washington, April 12, 2024.

About Charlie Kirk's Death And Ongoing Proceedings

Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at a college free-speech event in Utah. Authorities have charged Tyler James Robinson in the killing; prosecutors in Utah are seeking the death penalty.

Political Response And Memorial Efforts

Mace's bill is one of several legislative proposals introduced to memorialize Kirk. In September, the House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring Kirk with support from all House Republicans and 95 Democrats; 58 Democrats voted against that measure and 38 recorded a "present" vote.

The proposal to rename the former plaza underscores continuing political debates over public memorials, free-speech advocacy, and the legacy of the protests that led to the plaza's creation.