Andrew Rudick, a resident of Hollywood Hills, has been actively pursuing the removal of Donald Trump’s star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Despite support from some City Council members, the process for removal remains unclear, as multiple groups have jurisdiction over the Walk of Fame.
“The reasonably conveyed message to the millions who have walked past that plaque since 2021 is the city’s endorsement of a man who attempted a coup against the United States,” Rudick said.
The star has been subject to vandalism, and opinions about its removal vary among visitors and vendors.
“Trump offends people, and those people want to have his star removed,” a local said.
“But I don’t think he’s half as bad as some of the other people on here.”
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce initially stated that stars could not be removed, but has since clarified that they lack the authority to do so.
While there is confusion about jurisdiction, Rudick believes the City Council holds the power to remove the star and has proposed a replacement.
His efforts include submitting public records requests and starting a petition, garnering over 3,800 signatures.
“Once a star has been added to the Walk, it is considered a part of the historic fabric of the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” Leron Gubler said. “Because of this, we have never removed a star from the Walk.”
“I don’t know whose responsibility it is,” Councilmember Bob Blumenfield said.
“There are a number of folks, including both Cosby and Trump, who certainly don’t deserve a star given what we now know about them.”
“Donald Trump is a racist, fascist, and a threat to our democracy,” Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez said.
“Since there’s no known precedent for removing a star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, we’re looking into where the authority lies, what the legal issues may be, and what a process for it might look like.”
