About 50 police officers and their supporters have rallied to complain about a Black Lives Matter banner hanging outside a suburban Boston city hall.
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The police union’s president, Michael McGrath, said his officers support the “core goal” of the Black Lives Matter movement, but believe the current banner sends an “exclusionary message” and is disrespectful to officers.
“In the face of the continuing assassination of innocent police officers across the country … it is irresponsible of the city to publicly declare support for the lives of one sector of our population to the exclusion of others”, McGrath said in a statement.
Curtatone said that Black Lives Matter does not cause violence against the police.
As the police rally was breaking up, some Black Lives Matter supporters held signs saying “All lives can’t matter until black lives matter” or thanking the mayor for his stand.
The Democratic mayor says standing up for black residents and supporting police aren’t mutually exclusive.
A United States flag, with blue and black stripes in support of law enforcement officers, flies at a protest by police and their supporters outside Somerville City Hall, Thursday, July 28, 2016, in Somerville, Mass. Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone is promising not to remove a Black Lives Matter banner from City Hall despite complaints from police officers in the state. Come. Down, ‘ said Mayor Curtatone.
Police Chief David Fallon supported the mayor’s decision during a press conference July 21.
“If the mayor feels that sign makes people in our community feel safer, feel more engaged with the Police Department, then I’m 100 percent behind it”, he said.
McGrath has not indicated how many officers will be at city hall for Thursday’s protest, but told Curtatone in the letter, “police officers will be carefully watching for your supportive response to this most important request”.
There will be counter protests, as well, according to a statement from Curtatone.
The reality is this: All lives will not matter until black and brown lives do matter. He noted the city also has hung a banner over police headquarters honoring police officers slain in Dallas and in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We should have a culture of respect that flows in both directions.
Other police groups, like the Massachusetts Municipal Police Coalition, disagree with the banner hanging on City Hall.
“They’re wrong. It doesn’t inspire violence against police”.
“What our residents and our officers made clear is they reject the notion that there are two sides to pick here”, Curtatone said. We can stand together for the principle that every person who leaves their home and every officer who heads out to do their job should return safely.
City resident Roy Pardi, who’s white, said some people who don’t understand what Black Lives Matter means.
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You’re on the go! That is why both banners will remain.
