A group of Congressional Democrats led by Rep. William Lacy Clay of Missouri hung the controversial painting depicting police officers as pigs back in its original place on a wall in the U.S. Capitol complex. The action comes a day after two Florida law enforcement officers died in the line of duty: one who was shot dead while trying to apprehend a murder suspect and the other killed in a traffic accident while securing a search perimeter for the suspect.
The painting had been taken down by Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter of California last week and returned to Clay’s office after an outcry from police officers from around the country. The painting by St. Louis student David Pulphus, titled “Untitled #1” was selected as the winner of a Congressional art contest by Clay’s office last year and had hung in a tunnel connecting the Longworth House Office Building to the Capitol Building since June.
The Daily Caller’s Kerry Picket reported Monday night that Clay is seeking to have Hunter charged with theft over the removal of the painting.
Video of the re-hanging of the painting was posted by Fox News to Twitter.
JUST IN: Democrats rehang anti-police painting at Capitol Hill. (via @foxbusiness) pic.twitter.com/3lFuYCHvjs
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 10, 2017
Clay posted a statement and photo to Twitter saying, “Standing up for my constituent and defending the #1stAmendment #freedom #Backbone.”
Standing up for my constituent and defending the #1stAmendment #freedom #Backbone pic.twitter.com/KyfHXVdr9X
— Lacy Clay MO1st (@LacyClayMO1) January 10, 2017
Previous Gateway Pundit coverage:
Democrats Vow to Rehang Painting of ‘Cops as Pigs’ in US Capitol — On Police Appreciation Day
GOP Lawmaker Takes Down Dem Rep’s ‘Cops as Pigs’ Painting From Capitol Wall
