‘Black Lives Matter’ Banner Removed From Embassy After Trump, Pompeo Displeasure

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - 2020/06/14: A Black Lives Matter banner, a United States national flag and a rainbow flag are hung on the facade of the US embassy building in Seoul.A Black Lives Matter (BLM) banner is hung on the facade of the US Embassy building in downtown Seoul in solidarity with the BLM protesters who are demanding for a positive change. (Photo by Simon Shin/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - 2020/06/14: A Black Lives Matter banner, a United States national flag and a rainbow flag are hung on the facade of the US embassy building in Seoul. A Black Lives Matter (BLM) banner is hung on ... SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - 2020/06/14: A Black Lives Matter banner, a United States national flag and a rainbow flag are hung on the facade of the US embassy building in Seoul. A Black Lives Matter (BLM) banner is hung on the facade of the US Embassy building in downtown Seoul in solidarity with the BLM protesters who are demanding for a positive change. (Photo by Simon Shin/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) MORE LESS
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A “Black Lives Matter” banner hanging in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul was reportedly taken down after it was brought to the attention of President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

According to a Bloomberg report on Monday morning, the banner was removed after it was brought to the attention of Trump and Pompeo, who were “displeased” by it. A multicolored “pride” banner paying tribute to the LGBTQ community was taken down as well. Both were replaced by a banner commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korean War.

The “Black Lives Matter” banner was placed on the building on Saturday amid protests worldwide in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

“The U.S. Embassy stands in solidarity with fellow Americans grieving and peacefully protesting to demand positive change,” the embassy tweeted on Saturday with a photo of the banner. “Our #BlackLivesMatter banner shows our support for the fight against racial injustice and police brutality as we strive to be a more inclusive & just society.”

Upon the removal of the banners on Monday, the embassy told Bloomberg that U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris did not intend “to support or encourage donations to any specific organization” and that he ordered the removal of the “Black Lives Matter” banner “to avoid the misperception that American taxpayer dollars were spent to benefit such organizations.”

Harris’ latest statement starkly contrasts his retweet of the embassy’s tweet about the banners on Saturday, when he referenced former President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The White House declined when asked by TPM for comment. The State Department did not immediately respond to TPM’s request for comment.

Bloomberg’s report comes a week after CNN reported on State Department officials privately fuming over Pompeo’s “deafening” silence as protests in the wake of Floyd’s death spread worldwide, saying that they received little or no guidance since protests broke out in front of U.S. embassies.

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