Demonstrators in US form human chain to protest Kennedy Center closure vote
News Source
β’Sat, 19 Sep 2026 16:21:36 +0000
π° What Happened
Thousands of people formed a human chain around the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on Friday evening. They were angry about a board vote to close the arts centre for repairs. Many held signs and some wore costumes.
The crowd filled streets in the Foggy Bottom area and stopped traffic. People booed when President Donald Trump was mentioned. At one point protesters linked hands around the building.
The board voted to shut the centre for up to two years of repairs. A judge later ordered the centre to give 30 days' notice before any big building changes. Trump has not ruled out tearing the building down.
π The Backstory
Trump replaced the centre's board after returning to office and made himself chairman. In December the new board added his name to the building. A judge blocked that in May, saying Congress had never agreed to it.
Congress set up the centre as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The board tried again in August to add Trump's name. A judge stopped that attempt in September.
π― Why It Matters
The Kennedy Center is a national arts landmark that hosts concerts and free shows. The fight over it shows how far political battles can reach into public culture. Closing it would cost jobs.
Thousands of people formed a human chain around the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on Friday evening. They were angry about a board vote to close the arts centre for repairs. Many held signs and some wore costumes.
The crowd filled streets in the Foggy Bottom area and stopped traffic. People booed when President Donald Trump was mentioned. At one point protesters linked hands around the building.
The board voted to shut the centre for up to two years of repairs. A judge later ordered the centre to give 30 days' notice before any big building changes. Trump has not ruled out tearing the building down.
Trump replaced the centre's board after returning to office and made himself chairman. In December the new board added his name to the building. A judge blocked that in May, saying Congress had never agreed to it.
Congress set up the centre as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The board tried again in August to add Trump's name. A judge stopped that attempt in September.
The Kennedy Center is a national arts landmark that hosts concerts and free shows. The fight over it shows how far political battles can reach into public culture. Closing it would cost jobs.