USA Today reports a letter from the Somerville Police Employees Association published on Tuesday asked Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone to remove the banner. The phrase is widely considered a racist slogan as it has become known for being a response to Black Lives Matter. There have been nearly no references to black victims of police brutality.
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At SXSW this past March, the Public Enemy frontman shouted “Black Lives Matter!”.
Vancouver Police spokesperson Randy Fincham says they are working with Black Lives Matter Vancouver as well as the Pride Society that organizes the Parade to alleviate any concerns.
Wicked Local reports the local union published a letter Tuesday calling for Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone take down the banner that has hung since August 19, 2015 and replace it with an “All Lives Matter” banner.
On Friday, Oakland Police Department spokeswoman Johnna Watson said they’ve received a lot of support ever since the statement was made by the Oakland protester.
Tension remains, however, between Black Lives Matter and police groups, and it largely centers around the phrase “Black lives matter”.
An Ohio attorney was removed from a courtroom in handcuffs and sentenced to five days in jail after she refused to take off a Black Lives Matter pin at a judge’s request.
Milich told WKBN his opinions on the Black Lives Matter movement are irrelevant when it comes to his anti-pin policy.
“The City of Somerville stands against all violence and all injustice”, Curtatone said, and that is why both banners hang on government buildings.
Since the banner was deployed, the deaths at the hands of police of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile have reignited unrest across the country.
“A judge doesn’t support either side”, he said.
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The mayor said in a statement Wednesday that while he will always support his officers, he would also fight against the “systemic racism in our nation”. “That means black lives, white lives, Hispanic lives, Asian lives, Christian lives, Muslim lives”. In the eyes of the law, they said he’s innocent. “It does not accuse white people, unless you are a specific white person who perpetrates, endorses, or ignores violence against black people”.
