Fed up with Beyonce’s Super Bowl halftime show—a tribute to the Black Panther Party—Javier Ortiz, president of the Miami Police Union, is urging officers across the nation not to police the pop star’s upcoming world tour.
"We're not going to put up with her anti-police message," he said.
"The Miami Fraternal Order of Police has voted to have all law enforcement officers boycott Beyoncé’s concert which is being held at the Miami Marlins Stadium on Wednesday, April 26, 2016," Ortiz said in a statement. "The fact that Beyoncé used this year’s Super Bowl to divide Americans by promoting the Black Panthers and her antipolice message shows how she does not support law enforcement."
Ortiz is not alone in his sentiments.
The president of Nashville's Fraternal Order of Police said: "We ask officers to refuse to support the efforts of artists who promote a false narrative of law enforcement attacks on black citizens."
And Vincent Gericitano, president of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association, said that the union was "disgusted" with the pop star’s performance, as well as her latest video “Formation,” which shows a young black boy holding up his hands in front of police. Graffiti that says “stop shooting us" then flashes across the screen.
New York’s Sergeants Benevolent Association was equally frustrated by Beyonce’s performance, but did not advocate officers boycott policing her.
"As a celebrity figure Beyoncé should take greater responsibility in her divisive actions that further complicate relationships between communities of color and the members of law enforcement," the Association told CBS News.
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