Congresswoman Nancy Mace unveiled a bill that would rename Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C. after slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Mace, a South Carolina Republican, introduced the legislation on Wednesday on the three-month anniversary of Kirk’s assassination in Utah.
“Kirk’s assassination was an attack not just on one man, but on the fundamental American principle declaring every citizen has the right to speak freely and engage in civic discourse,” Mace wrote in a statement. “By designating this plaza in the heart of our nation's capital, we ensure Charlie's legacy and his unwavering commitment to the First Amendment will never be forgotten.”
If passed, the bill would require at least two Metro-style signs to be erected with Kirk’s name.
The plaza — a two-block-long pedestrian section of 16th Street, located a stone’s throw from the White House — emerged as a focal point of racial justice demonstrations following the death of George Floyd in 2020.
That year, the street was painted with large yellow letters reading “BLACK LIVES MATTER,” and demonstrators frequently gathered there to protest Trump. The D.C. city council later voted to officially name the space Black Lives Matter Plaza.
Republicans have long criticized the name and, in March, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser bowed to pressure from the White House and ordered workers to paint over the signage. Defending her decision, she said, “We have bigger fish to fry.”
The move triggered backlash among some Democrats and activists.
Nee Nee Taylor, a member of the D.C. Black Lives Matter affiliate, addressed Bowser on X, saying, “You never cared about Black Lives Mattering. You painting those words were performative.”
In her statement on Wednesday, Mace argued that Kirk is more deserving of recognition than Floyd, claiming that Kirk represents unity, whereas Floyd has become a symbol of division.
“The contrast between these two moments in history is unmistakable,” she said. “George Floyd’s death triggered unrest which divided the nation and devastated the law enforcement community…After Charlie Kirk was assassinated in cold blood, the nation responded with zero riots, zero looting, zero injuries, and zero destruction. Americans gathered in prayer, peace, and unity…”
“Renaming this plaza in Charlie Kirk’s memory reflects those values: peace over violence, dialogue over destruction, and the First Amendment over mob rule,” she added.
Cicley Gay, board chair of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, took a different stance.
“We believe spaces honoring the fight against anti-Black violence and for justice deserve thoughtful consideration amid our nation's ongoing political divisions,” Gay told The Independent. “We urge leaders to reject any divisive renaming of the BLM plaza and encourage dialogue focused on building unity without dehumanization.”
Mace, who is running for South Carolina governor in 2026, has long been a lightning rod of controversy. In September, she called on Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, to be deported to Somalia over her comments about Kirk.
“Would love to see you get the help you need next. You belong in rehab, not Congress,” Omar shot back.
In October, police in South Carolina filed a report claiming Mace directed an expletive-laden rant at officers in a Charleston airport. Mace said the report was “100 percent falsified.”
Her bid to honor Kirk is just the latest attempt by Republicans to permanently cement the conservative activist’s legacy.
Both chambers of Congress passed resolutions honoring Kirk’s “life and legacy” in September. A Republican lawmaker in Florida introduced a bill to designate October 14, Kirk’s birthday, as “Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance,” and an Arizona Republican put forward legislation seeking to mint commemorative coins in his honor.
A spokesperson for Bowser declined to comment on Mace’s legislation when contacted by The Independent.
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