Sandy MaloneLos Angeles, CA – The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) banned the Thin Blue Line flag from being publicly displayed in police department buildings this week because someone complained that the flag honoring fallen heroes represented “violent, extremist views.”
“Yesterday, we received a community complaint of the presence of a Blue Line Flag” with “the view that it symbolized support for violent extremist views, such as those represented by the Proud Boys and others,” LAPD Chief Michel Moore explained in an email to FOX News.
“I directed to have the item taken down from the public lobby,” the chief’s email continued. “The U.S. flag should be proudly displayed in our lobbies whenever possible. Memorials for our fallen are also authorized in all public spaces.”
He said that the Thin Blue Line flag displayed in the lobby of an LAPD police station had sparked a complaint, FOX News reported.
So Chief Moore ordered all the Thin Blue Line flags honoring fallen heroes to be removed from public areas.
“It’s unfortunate that extremist groups have hijacked the use of the ‘Thin Blue Line flag’ to symbolize their undemocratic, racist, and bigoted views,” the police chief said.
He said that officers could still display the Thin Blue Line flag on “their workspace, locker door, or personal vehicle,” according to FOX News.
The police chief said he knew the Thin Blue Line flag symbolized “the honor, valor, dedication, and sacrifice of law enforcement to protect our communities.”
However, Chief Moore said others had undermined the flag honoring fallen heroes with their “racist, bigoted and oppressive values” and that police station lobbies should be safe spaces where citizens feel welcome and “free of political ideology,” FOX News reported.
**ITS OFFICIAL**
LAPD Chief Moore has banned “Blue Line” flags. pic.twitter.com/MZEvhaCprj
— Film The Police LA (@FilmThePoliceLA) January 13, 2023
The local police union strongly disagreed with the move and blasted the police chief in a statement from the board.
“It is difficult to express the level of utter disgust and disappointment with Chief Moore’s politically pandering directive to remove Thin Blue Line flags and memorials for fallen officers from all public areas within our police stations,” the statement from the Los Angeles Police Protective League Board of Directors read.
“This direction came as a result of complaints from anti-police, criminal apologists, and activists who hold too much sway over our city leaders and, unfortunately, our Chief,” the police union continued.
The union, which represents more than 9,900 members of the LAPD, said it “vehemently” opposed “this disrespectful and defeatist kowtowing by our department leadership to groups that praise the killing of police officers and outright call for violence against those of us in uniform. We have directly expressed our outrage to the Chief,” FOX News reported.
WATCH: The LAPD banned the Thin Blue Line flag from public areas within police departments this week over a complaint that the flag represented "violent, extremist views." – @Caitlyn_Jenner reacts. #AmericaReports pic.twitter.com/qbT62ROzrS
— America Reports (@AmericaRpts) January 16, 2023
The police union said the flag isn’t divisive, but rather is “symbol of unity.”
“Let’s all remember what the Thin Blue Line flag is and what it represents: ‘The Thin Blue Line flag features a black and white image of the American flag with the horizontal stripe beneath the field of white stars on the black background,” the statement read.
“The stars represent the citizenry who stand for justice and order. The darkness represents chaos and anarchy, and to many, a memorial to the law enforcement officers who have perished in the line of duty,'” the police union explained.
Holly Matkin
