Police departments across the nation continue to attack Beyoncé because of her pro-Black Super Bowl performance. Earlier this week, police in Tampa revealed that officers had not signed up to work her concert which will hit the city in April. Moreover, the Miami Fraternal Order of Police are calling for police across the county to participate in a nationwide boycott of her tour.
In a statement, Javier Ortiz, president of the Miami FOP, said, “The fact that Beyoncé used this year’s Super Bowl to divide Americans by promoting the Black Panthers and her antipolice message shows she does not support law enforcement. We ask all law enforcement labor organizations to join our boycott across country and to boycott all of her concerts.”
Beyoncé is now catching flack from the New York Police Department. According to a report by TMZ, members of the NYPD want Beyoncé to issue a public apology to all police officers for paying homage to the Black Panthers. They also want an explanation of her “Formation” set.
A few days after her performance at the Super Bowl, Beyoncé was blasted by Michael Palladino of Detectives Endowment Association. “She should direct her message where it’s needed most, and that’s in the ’hood, because that’s where it all takes place. So if the Black Lives Matter movement really wants to make a difference, they should pour the medicine directly on the wound,” he said. “Get into the ghetto, the ’hood. Get to the bottom of why people of color prey on other people of color in their own neighborhoods.”
Rudy Gulliani also criticized Beyoncé by saying, I think it was outrageous. I don’t know what the heck it was. A bunch of people bouncing around. I thought it was really outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officer who are the people who protect her and protect us. And what she should be doing in the African-American community, and all communities, is build respect for police officers,” Giuliani said in a rant.
The outlandish reactions to Beyoncé’s performance proves why race relations will only get better when honesty isn’t silenced by propaganda. The Super Bowl performance wasn’t as lethal or eye-opening as Kendrick Lamar’s performance at the Grammy Awards, but it has faced more heat.
Although the NYPD want an apology from Beyoncé, they will secure her concert when it lands in the city.
