Norton to Speak at Dedication of Boris Nemtsov Plaza in Front of Russian Embassy, Today

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will join District of Columbia Councilmembers and Members of Congress to speak at the dedication ceremony to unveil a sign for Boris Nemtsov Plaza (2698-2600 Wisconsin Ave NW), today, Tuesday, February 27, 2018, at noon. Legislation to rename the section of Wisconsin Avenue in front of the Russian Embassy after Nemtsov, a former Russian Deputy Prime Minister and human rights advocate who was assassinated on February 27, 2015, originated in Congress. Norton insisted that the Council preempt congressional action and pass local legislation because Wisconsin Avenue is a D.C.-owned street. The Council unanimously voted to pass the bill.

"Boris Nemtsov was a fierce advocate of democracy as a leading opposition leader in Russia, and, for his outspokenness and bravery in the face of oppression, he was murdered in the shadow of the Kremlin," Norton. "The appropriate process for memorializing this freedom fighter was for Congress to request the naming from the jurisdiction responsible for the street, as it would have done for a local street located, for example, in Virginia. We are grateful to the D.C. Council for memorializing Nemtsov's legacy outside of the Russian Embassy to send a strong signal that the United States stands with Russians who continue strive to achieve freedom in their country."