Thousands of protesters assembled in Washington DC on Friday evening to form a human chain around the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, challenging a recent vote by its current board to close the historic venue. The demonstration, titled “Hands Around the Kennedy Center,” was organized amid growing concerns that President Donald Trump may follow through on threats to demolish the landmark.
Crowds filled the streets of the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, bringing traffic to a halt as demonstrators made their way to the site. Many participants carried signs and wore costumes, while boos echoed when Trump was mentioned during the event’s program. At one point, protesters linked hands around the building, whose marble exterior remains partially obscured by scaffolding and tarpaulins.
The Kennedy Center, one of the most recognizable structures along Washington’s Potomac waterfront, has become a focal point in Trump’s efforts to assert control over the institution since returning to office. The president replaced the original board with his own appointees and assumed the role of chairman.
Chris Raleigh, co-founder of Hands Off the Arts, told The Associated Press that he hoped the large turnout would demonstrate public willingness to resist Trump’s plans for the building. The rally occurred just days after the Trump-appointed board voted to shut the center for repairs projected to take up to two years. This decision came hours after District Judge Christopher Cooper blocked the board’s latest attempt to restore Trump’s name to the facility.
Legal battles over the building’s identity have been ongoing. Last December, the new board added Trump’s name to the facade after claiming the board of trustees had unanimously voted to rename the institution in his honor. However, a federal judge intervened in May, ruling that the board had exceeded its authority by unilaterally renaming the center without congressional approval, noting that Congress had designated it as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy.
In August, the board attempted to inscribe Trump’s name again, this time using phrasing that read “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump.” Judge Cooper blocked this effort in September, stating it violated his previous injunction.
Trump has refused to rule out demolishing the building. On Thursday, a federal judge ordered the Kennedy Center to provide 30 days’ notice before undertaking any major structural changes, including demolition. Speaking in North Carolina on Wednesday, Trump argued that his administration deserved credit for rescuing the center and warned that without repairs, the building risked falling into disrepair and eventual closure.
Raleigh expressed concern that Trump could proceed with changes without prior court notification, citing the recent construction of the East Wing at the White House as a precedent. “We got up one morning and there was a giant hole there,” he said, referencing the sudden nature of that project.
Closing a national treasure for two years of repairs seems like an excuse. Did anyone actually verify the structural necessity of this closure?
I wasn’t expecting such a massive turnout. It’s impressive to see people stand up for cultural landmarks like this.