This week, the Los Angeles Police Department banned the Thin Blue Line flag, a frequent target of wake-up calls from police departments in public areas, citing complaints that it represents “violent, extremist views.”
Fox News reports:
LAPD Chief Michael Moore defended the controversial move in an email sent to Fox News Digital, saying, “Yesterday, we received a community complaint of the presence of the Blue Line flag,” which “symbolizes support for violent extremist views.” as represented by the Proud Boys and others.”
“I directed that the item be removed from the public lobby. The US flag should be proudly displayed in our lobbies whenever possible. Memorials to our dead have also been authorized in all public places,” he said.
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Moore explained that a flag displayed in a station lobby sparked the complaint, adding, “It is unfortunate that extremist groups have hijacked the use of the ‘Thin Blue Line flag’ to symbolize their anti-democratic, racist and bigoted views.”
The LAPD chief ordered the removal of all flags bearing the symbol from public areas. Officers can still display the flag “at their workplace, locker door or personal vehicle,” Moore said.
While Moore said the flag symbolizes “the honor, bravery, dedication and sacrifice of law enforcement to protect our communities,” others said the flag has been undermined with its “racist, bigoted and oppressive values.”
Station lobbies should be places where citizens feel welcome and safe and “free from political ideology,” Moore said.
The decision was taken by the Los Angeles Police Protective League.
We proudly display it and never let anyone distort the true meaning.
“…the blue line represents the men and women of law enforcement who stand in the gap between the lawless and the innocent.”@LAPDHQ pic.twitter.com/vNdfmHjwdQ
— Los Angeles Police Protective League (@LAPPL) January 11, 2023
Fox News continues:
However, the union representing the county’s police officers called the news “political confusion.”
“It is difficult to express the level of utter disgust and dismay at Chief Moore’s political direction to remove the pale blue line flags and memorials from all public areas within the reach of our police stations. This is the result of complaints from anti-police, criminal apologists and activists who, unfortunately, hold too much sway over our city leaders and our chief. The directive has arrived,” the Los Angeles Police Protective League’s board of directors wrote in a statement.
The union said they “vehemently” oppose this disrespectful and defeatist kowtowing by our department’s leadership to groups that glorify the killing of police officers and outright call for violence against us in uniform. We have directly expressed our anger to the chief executive.’
The group, which says it represents more than 9,900 members of the LAPD, disagreed with the chief’s sentiment that the flag was divisive. He argued that the flag was actually a “symbol of unity”.
“Let’s all remember what the thin blue line flag is and what it represents: ‘The thin blue line flag consists of a black and white image of the American flag with a horizontal stripe below a field of white stars on a black background. The stars represent citizens who stand for justice and order. Darkness represents chaos and anarchy, and to many , a memorial to law enforcement officers who perished in the line of duty,” the statement said.