A decades-long peace vigil outside the White House is dismantled after
Trump's order
[September 08, 2025]
By PABLO MONSIVAIS and FARNOUSH AMIRI
WASHINGTON (AP) — Law enforcement officials on Sunday removed a peace
vigil that had stood outside the White House for more than four decades
after President Donald Trump ordered it to be taken down as part of the
clearing of homeless encampments in the nation’s capital.
Philipos Melaku-Bello, a volunteer who has manned the vigil for years,
told The Associated Press that the Park Police removed it early Sunday
morning. He said officials justified the removal by mislabeling the
memorial as a shelter.
“The difference between an encampment and a vigil is that an encampment
is where homeless people live,” Melaku-Bello said. “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.”
The White House confirmed the removal, telling AP in a statement that
the vigil was a "hazard to those visiting the White House and the
surrounding areas.”
Taking down the vigil is the latest in a series of actions the Trump
administration has ordered as part of its federal takeover of policing
in the city, which began last month. The White House has defended the
intervention as needed to fulfill Trump's executive order on the
“beautification” of D.C.
Melaku-Bello said he's in touch with attorneys about what he sees as a
civil rights violation. “They’re choosing to call a place that is not an
encampment an encampment just to fit what is in Trump’s agenda of
removing the encampments,” he said.
The vigil was started in 1981 by activist William Thomas to promote
nuclear disarmament and an end to global conflicts. It is believed to be
the longest continuous anti-war protest in U.S. history. When Thomas
died in 2009, other protesters like Melaku-Bello manned the tiny tent
and the banner, which read “Live by the bomb, die by the bomb," around
the clock to avoid it being dismantled by authorities.
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Philipos Melaku-Bello talks to people during Peace Vigil in
Lafayette Park across from the White House in Washington, Sunday,
Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
The small but persistent act of protest was brought to Trump's
attention during an event at the White House on Friday.
Brian Glenn, a correspondent for the conservative network Real
America’s Voice, told Trump the blue tent was an “eyesore” for those
who come to the White House.
“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
said. “It’s kind of morphed into more of an anti-American, sometimes
anti-Trump at many times.”
Trump, who said he was not aware of it, told his staff: “Take it
down. Take it down today, right now."
Melaku-Bello said that Glenn spread misinformation when he told the
president that the tent had rats and “could be a national security
risk" because people could hide weapons in there.
“No weapons were found," he told AP. "He said that it was
rat-infested. Not a single rat came out as they took down the cinder
blocks."
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Amiri reported from New York. Will Weissert in New York contributed
to this report.
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