Protest mural at the foot of Trump Tower

NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has grabbed a roller to paint ‘‘Black Lives Matter’’ in front of Trump Tower in Manhattan, after US President Donald Trump tweeted last week that the street mural would be ‘‘a symbol of hate’’.

De Blasio was flanked by his wife, Chirlane McCray, and Rev Al Sharpton as he helped paint the rallying cry in giant yellow letters on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower.

‘‘When we say ‘Black Lives Matter’, there is no more American statement, there is no more patriotic statement because there is no America without Black America,’’ de Blasio said.

‘‘We are acknowledging the truth of ourselves as Americans by saying ‘Black Lives Matter’. We are righting a wrong.’’

The mayor announced the plan to paint ‘‘Black Lives Matter’’ in front of Trump Tower last month after earlier saying the slogan would be painted at several locations around the city.

Trump responded via Twitter that the mural would denigrate ‘‘this luxury Avenue’’ and ‘‘further antagonise New York’s Finest’’.

De Blasio tweeted back that Black Lives Matter was ‘‘a movement to recognise and protect the lives of Black people’’.

Rahima Torrence (20), who was among the people slapping yellow paint on to Fifth Ave, said that the mural was ‘‘the beginning of something more’’.

Washington, DC was the first US city to get a giant Black Lives Matter mural when Mayor Muriel Bowser had it painted in the street leading to the White House.

Bowser said it showed solidarity with Americans outraged about the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Trump lived in Trump Tower before he took office as president, but has spent little time there since; he changed his official residence from New York to Florida last year. — AAP