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PEOPLE & ARTSMonday 22 February 2016
Police unions criticize Beyonce’s
video, call for boycott
In this Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016 file photo, Beyonce performs during TAMARA LUSH dancers donned berets, wall.
halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 50 football game in Santa Clara, Associated Press sported Afros and wore all The tour kicks off with a
Calif. TAMPA, Florida (AP) — Po- black, similar to the style sold-out show in Miami on
lice unions are criticizing of the Black Panther party April 27. She plays Tampa
Associated Press Beyonce in the wake of that was founded 50 years two days later.
her Super Bowl halftime act ago in the Bay area —
and new video, calling for the location of the Super Tampa Police spokes-
a boycott because they Bowl. At one point during woman Andrea Davis said
think her work contains their routine, the dancers there is no indication that
“anti-police” messages. formed an “X’’ on the field, officers are not taking the
Unions in Miami, Tampa which some people took as extra-duty, voluntary shifts
and Nashville, Tennessee, a tribute to slain black ac- to provide security for the
are either calling for offi- tivist Malcolm X. concert.
cers to boycott her music Tampa Police Benevolent “This has been blown way
or urging them not volun- Association President Vin- out of proportion,” she said.
teer to work at her shows. cent Gericitano posted a Tampa Police even tweet-
Javier Ortiz, president of the statement on the group’s ed a GIF of Beyonce on
Miami union, said this week website saying it was “dis- Thursday with the state-
that “Beyoncé used this gusted” with the Super ment: “What?! @TampaPD
year’s Super Bowl to divide Bowl show and “equally officers have been in #for-
Americans by promoting disgusted” with her new mation for days signing up
the Black Panthers and her music video. to keep the #Beehive safe!
anti-police message shows The video for “Formation” #Truth #Fact”
how she does not support invokes the Hurricane Ka- Miami Police spokesman Lt.
law enforcement.” trina tragedy in New Or- Freddie Cruz said the extra-
The Super Bowl halftime leans and includes a shot duty shifts for the concert
show — seen by an esti- of the singer lying atop a will be “open for officers to
mated 112 million people police cruiser overtaken sign up. Whether they sign
— drew praise from her by floodwater. It also refer- up, it’s up to them.”
fans and consternation ences the Black Lives Mat- In Nashville, that chapter
from critics. ter movement with police of the Fraternal Order of
It was a display of unapolo- standing in riot gear and Police asked members to
getic blackness and po- the words “stop shooting not volunteer for Beyonce’s
litical activism. Beyonce’s us” spray-painted on a concert there in May.q
U.S. cop put on leave for
role in racially charged video
ST. JOSEPH, Missouri (AP) the images. Roach, said Craft allowed
— A white Missouri police Police spokesman Capt. himself to be filmed “with-
officer has been placed Jeff Wilson said the depart- out knowing the words,
on unpaid leave after he ment “in no way condones content, or context” and
appeared in a racially the video.” He said Craft is was “appalled” when he
charged music video wear- on leave pending a hear- saw the video.
ing his uniform and carrying ing. “He whole-heartedly re-
a sign reading “cop lives jects the song, the mu-
matter.” Smith said that Craft, whom sic video, and the misguid-
St. Joseph patrolman Zack- he described as a friend, ed message in its entirety,”
ary Craft also is seen reach- knew the video was “sup- Roach said.
ing for his gun in the video posed to make cops look The August 2014 shooting
for “Before This Bomb Blows good” but didn’t know death of unarmed, black
Up (Racism Goes Both “quite how far it was going 18-year-old Michael Brown
Ways)” by Josh Smith, a to go.” by a white officer during
white rapper who performs “I feel really bad for him,” a confrontation in the St.
as J.Smitty. Smith said. “I hope this all Louis suburb of Ferguson
ends well for him and that helped fuel the national
The video also shows Smith he is able to keep his job “Black Lives Matter” move-
spitting on a picture of the and move on.” He said ment. The Justice Depart-
civil rights activist Rev. Al he took down the video ment later cleared the
Sharpton and breaking pic- when Craft was suspended officer, concluding that
tures of President Barack last week but reposted it evidence backed his claim
Obama, the Rev. Jesse Thursday with Craft’s face that he shot Brown in self-
Jackson and hooded KKK blurred. defense after Brown tried
members. He then burns Craft’s attorney, Morgan to grab his gun.q
