Thousands Gather at Kennedy Center as Protesters Demand the Arts Center Be Preserved

Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on Friday, September 18, in a protest organized as “Hands Around the Kennedy Center.”

Protesters linked arms and formed a human chain around parts of the landmark, carrying signs and chanting “Hands off!” The demonstration came after the Kennedy Center’s board voted to close the facility amid ongoing disputes over its leadership and future.

The protest gained additional attention after President Donald Trump was photographed reviewing a poster that appeared to reference the Kennedy Center being demolished. Trump has also suggested that the building could be torn down if efforts to reshape the institution do not succeed.

Supporters of the center say the Kennedy Center is an important national arts institution and have expressed concern about its future. Trump and his allies, meanwhile, have defended their changes to the institution and argued that they are intended to address its condition and management.

The demonstrations highlight the growing dispute over who controls the Kennedy Center—and what should happen to one of Washington’s most recognizable cultural landmarks.