The controversial Capitol Hill painting depicting police officers as pigs will be permanently removed because it violates rules

A controversial painting depicting police officers as pigs will be removed for good from a Capitol Hill hallway next week.

The artwork was painted by then-high school senior David Pulphus, who won a contest organized by Rep. W. Lacy Clay (D-St. Louis). The congressman later affixed the art to a wall in a hallway connecting House office buildings to the Capitol. But many of his fellow congressmen weren’t pleased with the sight. Several of them, including Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) and Brian Babin (R-Texas), had removed the painting and returned it to Clay’s office on separate occasions. Each time, however, it was restored.

After much back and forth, the painting will be removed one final time. The architect of the Capitol, Stephen Ayers, has determined that the artwork violates the House Building Commission’s rules, and it will be taken down for the last time on Tuesday.

In the midst of the arguments surrounding the painting, Clay defended the artist, saying that he has “respect for police officers. He just doesn’t have respect for police who use the cover of a blue uniform to do animalistic things to people.” Many, however, found it offensive to law enforcement.

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