FACT CHECK: The White House Address Has Not Changed to Black Live Matter Plaza
By Mona Austin
If you send mail to 1600 Black Lives Matter Plaza, it won't be delivered to the White House. That address, as it has been for a couple of centuries, is still 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
On June 5, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser approved the renaming of a block on 16th Street that runs adjacent to the front of the White House. It is now Black Lives Matter Plaza.
“The section of 16th street in front of the White House is now officially 'Black Lives Matter Plaza,' ” Bowser tweeted. Using the words "in front of" may have been confusing for some.
Perhaps it even threw veteran White House reporter April Ryan off. The following day, she tweeted in error: "In case you didn’t know, I’m April Ryan and I’m a #WhiteHouse reporter my work address is now: 1600 #BlackLivesMatter Plaza, NW - Washington, DC!
And oh by the way, President
@realDonaldTrump
now resides at: 1600 Black Lives Matter Plaza, NW - Washington, DC!"
According to Hollywoodlife.com Ryan "trolled " Pres. Trump by saying he resides on the newly named street. Sharing the Here is their account of what happened:
"White House correspondent April Ryan, 52, took the opportunity to troll President Donald Trump, 73, on June 6 when she posted a tweet and photos showing off the Black Lives Matter Plaza sign that was added to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. near the White House in Washington D.C. The veteran reporter also shared photos of the yellow Black Lives Matter art that was painted on the street in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in her tweet and mentioned the area is where the president resides."
This false claim spread quickly on social media. The facts. . .
The historic St. John Episcopal Church where Pres. Trump was photographed with a Bible in his hand sits on the corner of the road on one side of the White House while the Renwick Art Gallery is on the other side a block away. The street sign at that corner is marked 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW.
The U.S. Postal Service didn't get the memo of an address change and neither did Pres. Trump because there isn't one.
Bowser used her power to make the name change just days after protesters were tear-gased by federal security agents. Protestors have continued to march peaceflly on Black Lives Matter Plaza in opposition to the death of George Floyd, the man who was killed by the knee of a Minneapolis police officer being place in his neck .
"There was a dispute this week about whose street this is. Mayor Bowser wanted to make it abundantly clear that this is DC’s street and to honor demonstrators who peacefully protesting on Monday evening," Bowser chief of staff John Falcicchio tweeted June 5.
