{"id":13514,"date":"2025-09-20T08:21:05","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T08:21:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/the-white-house-peace-vigil-the-longest-continuous-political-protest-in-the-u-s-is-dismantled\/"},"modified":"2025-09-20T08:21:05","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T08:21:05","slug":"the-white-house-peace-vigil-the-longest-continuous-political-protest-in-the-u-s-is-dismantled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/the-white-house-peace-vigil-the-longest-continuous-political-protest-in-the-u-s-is-dismantled\/","title":{"rendered":"The White House peace vigil, the longest continuous political protest in the U.S., is dismantled"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Are Salam<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Federal law enforcement took down the White House peace vigil on Thursday, putting an apparent end to what was considered the country’s longest continuous political protest.<\/p>\n

During a news conference<\/a> in the Oval Office on Sept. 5, a reporter from the conservative network Real America’s Voice asked Trump about the tent<\/a>calling the longstanding vigil an “eyesore” and speculating whether it posed a national security issue. Trump said he was unaware of the anti-war demonstration, but quickly turned and instructed a member of his team to “take it down. Take it down today, right now. Nobody told me about this.”<\/p>\n

The peace vigil was set up by anti-nuclear arms activist William Thomas<\/a> on June 3, 1981, and has been maintained by other activists even after Trump ordered its removal. A warning letter,<\/a> dated Sept. 12, handed to demonstrators by National Park Service officials and shared with The Washington Post called the protest in Lafayette Park an “ongoing unpermitted demonstration.”<\/p>\n

The letter said the structure violated certain regulations, claiming, for example, that its blue tarp “posed a safety risk by obscuring the view of an approximately four-foot high by eight-foot (or more) area.” Federal officers removed the signs and placards Thursday — despite the absence of the tarp, which had been removed earlier by officers, and other efforts by protesters to address issues raised in the letter.<\/p>\n

“The blue tent — which was a public safety hazard to those visiting the White House and the surrounding areas — has been removed,” said White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers in a statement to BLN. “Individuals are welcome to continue wasting their time with deranged, far-left protests and crazy signs that have nothing to do with peace.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Are Salam<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter and producer for BLN Digital. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n