Democratic Socialists of America activists in Wilmington, North Carolina, are criticizing city and state officials after a series of politically themed bus stop benches they installed were removed this month.
Beginning in April 2025, members of the DSA constructed more than 30 benches at bus stops around the coastal city without authorization from Wilmington or the local transit system, a move officials said violated city code requirements.
WECT-TV reported on July 6 that Wilmington City Attorney Meredith Everhart said the benches “were not approved by the city or WAVE, aren’t the correct type of bench, aren’t ADA compliant, didn’t go through the required permitting process and carry political messaging, which isn’t allowed in public right-of-ways.”
Emails later reported by local news outlets indicated the DSA did not comply with requests to take the benches down. In its own statement, the group acknowledged it had not received approval but said it moved forward with the effort anyway, then began urging supporters to pressure officials to let the benches remain in place.
An image shared by the local DSA chapter showed several painted slogans on the benches, including “We Must Have Mass Social Housing!” “Liberation for All” alongside rainbow and trans flag imagery, and “Fruits of Community Labor.”
New Hanover County Commissioner Dane Scalise, who is running for the North Carolina House of Representatives in November, said on August 1 that he had prompted a review by the state Department of Transportation.
“The city is working with the DSA, an organization whose platform calls for replacing capitalism with socialism as well as abolishing the US Senate, Electoral College, and Supreme Court? Apparently so, I’m afraid. In case you don’t know, New Hanover County contributes a substantial amount of money to Wave every year. We also have numerous appointees to its board of directors. Let me make something very clear: I will do everything I can to ensure that New Hanover County plays no role in this apparent partnership with the DSA,” Scalise wrote on social media. “Enough is enough. I am tired of waiting for others to act.”
Scalise’s statement came the same day the Cape Fear Proud Boys claimed responsibility for removing one of the benches and repainting it with the message, “Socialism is slavery.”
On August 6, 20 of the benches were removed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
“We were recently made aware of new bus benches placed on the state right-of-way,” NCDOT spokesperson Veronica Scott wrote via email. “Because these benches are not in compliance with the NCDOT Bus Shelter & Bus Stop Guidelines and are a safety hazard and liability for the state, they are being removed from state property.”
The city of Wilmington followed a day later, removing the remaining benches on Friday, August 7, “While the two parties work toward an agreement about their continued temporary use.”
In a statement posted on their website, the DSA chapter makes their goal in advancing a socialist agenda in the city clear: “The benches exist because we believe socialism means working together to give everyone the means to secure their own agency and dignity. This means a right to housing, medical care, education, fast and reliable public transit and yes, the right to a place to sit and rest in public. The benches are not a secret advertisement for Democratic Socialism; the benches themselves are the product of Democratic Socialism.”
