An eerie quiet hung over the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, broken only by the steady beeping of a forklift backing up.
The forklift was hauling barriers into place outside the Kennedy Center, which closed its doors this week after the center’s Board of Directors voted to temporarily shut down the iconic Washington DC venue.
Once open to the public, the 55-year-old building is now off limits to guests as crews work to secure the grounds and prepare for an uncertain future.
Among the visitors who attempted to enter the building Thursday were Alex Brown and Dean Anderson, of Massachusetts, who hoped to catch a glimpse of the venue for the first time "before it's gone."
"History is being ripped away," Brown said. "I don't
know what's in there because I didn't get to see it, but I was told there is some kickass stuff in there. Is that gone to history now, besides photos?"
President Donald Trump warned this week that the building could be “ripped down” unless major renovations are completed. But the renovation plans are now caught up in a legal fight over the president's attempts to add the Trump name to the center and the building.
Trump has said construction will not move forward unless a federal appeals court overturns a ruling blocking efforts to put his name on the building.
For Brown and Anderson, there was little to see Thursday beyond the barriers, the construction equipment and the handful of workers moving around the grounds.
The scene was a stark departure from the Kennedy Center’s usual bustle, when visitors would stream through its doors for concerts, tours and views of the Potomac River.
Protest planned for Friday
Hundreds of people are expected to attend a Hands off the Arts protest Friday at the Kennedy Center with a simple message: "The Kennedy belongs to the American people, not one man."
Protesters will create a human chain around the venue during the event that will also feature musical performances and speeches.
Laura Bligh, who describes herself as an "independent agitator," was passing out fliers Thursday for the protest. She said it's important to speak up for the Kennedy Center because the "trustees who are supposed to be protecting it are doing their best to destroy it."
"The building is very dear to my heart and is a precious jewel in the Washington area," said Bligh, a DC native who has been attending events at the performing arts center since it opened in 1971.
The Kennedy Center has a particularly personal connection for Bligh. She previously worked backstage for the National Symphony Orchestra, which is performing at venues across the DC area this year while the Kennedy Center is closed.
Organizers of Friday's 6:30 p.m. protest are urging people "to stand up for freedom of expression and against authoritarian overreach into arts and culture institutions."
"People in the Washington area care passionately about the Kennedy Center, and we do not want it destroyed," Bligh said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What we saw outside the Kennedy Center after board votes to close venue
