Photo: Screenshot
The Miami Fraternal Order of Police has voted to boycott Beyonce's forthcoming performance in the city, saying that her "anti-police message shows how she does not support law enforcement."
The singer surprise released the video for new single 'Formation' earlier this month - and it contained references to the impact of Hurricane Katrina on black people in New Orleans, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement. Her subsequent Super Bowl performance also reference the Black Panthers.
Last week, an anti-Beyonce rally in Manhattan, in protest of that performance, saw only two people turn up - one of whom "didn't even watch the half-time show," and had just come to "check everything out."
Now though, the President of Miami police union the Miami Fraternal Order of Police, has written an open letter saying that the union has voted to boycott her performance at the Miami Marlins Stadium on 26 April.
"I was one of the tens of thousands of law enforcement officers that didn’t watch the Super Bowl halftime show out of respect for our professio," he wrote. "On another day while flipping through the television channels, I did mistakenly watch her 'Formation' video that shows scenes of a young black boy dancing in front of police in riot gear, who signal their surrender by putting their hands up, referencing the 'Hands up, don't shoot' anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement inspired by the 2014 death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri."
"I challenge Beyoncé to review the eighty-six page report written by the United States Department of Justice on the death investigation of Michael Brown[...] Those hands up, don’t shoot accounts are inaccurate because they are inconsistent with the physical and forensic evidence. Countless others contradicted or recanted their accounts of what transpired. Hands up, don't shoot was built on a lie." It wasn't just Michael Brown who was questionably killed by police though.
He concluded, "While Beyoncé physically saluted the 50th anniversary of the Black Panthers movement at the Super Bowl, I salute NYPD Officer Richard Rainey, who succumbed to his injuries on February 16, 2016 from being shot by two Black Panthers who he had pulled over in a traffic stop. I also salute the dozens of law enforcement officers that have been assassinated by members of the Black Panthers. We ask all law enforcement labor organizations to join our boycott across the country and to boycott all of her concerts."
Beyonce's full upcoming UK Formation tour dates are below. For tickets and more information, visit here.
Tue June 28 2016 - SUNDERLAND Stadium Of Light
Thu June 30 2016 - CARDIFF Principality Stadium Cardiff
Sat July 02 2016 - LONDON Wembley Stadium
Sun July 03 2016 - LONDON Wembley Stadium
Tue July 05 2016 - MANCHESTER Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground
Thu July 07 2016 - GLASGOW Hampden Park National Stadium
Sat July 09 2016 - DUBLIN Croke Park
