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As extra safety measures are put into place to prepare for Inauguration Day, a piece of art satirically “honoring” the Jan. 6 riots appeared in front of the U.S. Capitol building Thursday.
A statue of a desk, complete with an office phone, folders and nameplate with Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s name on it, was set up at 3rd Street NW, across from the Capitol. The desk was topped off with a larger-than-life, perfectly swirled poop.
A plaque on the pedestal below the desk reads, “This memorial honors the brave men and women who broke into the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021 to loot, urinate and defecate throughout those hallowed halls in order to overturn an election. President Trump celebrates these heroes of January 6th as ‘unbelievable patriots’ and ‘warriors.’ This monument stands as a testament to their daring sacrifice and lasting legacy.”
Steve Long was one of many people who stopped by the installation Friday.
“It’s a great reminder of what happened and what could still happen, and why we need to reflect on that a bit, so it hopefully doesn’t happen again,” Long told WTOP.
Another viewer, Ned Wood, told WTOP he’s sad the piece will only be up for a week, saying, “People shouldn’t forget what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, and for people to ignore that and say that Trump should be president again, just is completely incomprehensible to me.”
The piece of protest art is called “The Resolute Desk” and it will remain on the National Mall until Oct. 30, according to a permit from the U.S. Department of the Interior. The organization responsible for the desk is listed as Civic Crafted LLC. The Washington Post tried to reach out to Julia Jimenez, who requested the permit, but reported that Jimenez did not reply to text or phone messages.
The purpose section of the permit says the desk “represents the heart of democracy” and is “a testament to the ideals of transparency, accountability, and representation.” It says the “principles of equality, justice, and freedom” must stand as firmly as the desk did against rioters.
The permit also mentions a second installation of a tiki torch statue scheduled to be set up next week. The statues have to be watched by someone affiliated with the group at all times, the same way David’s Tent — a large tent on the National Mall described as a “musical prayer ministry — must always have someone occupying it.
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