A Miami police union has called for a boycott of Beyoncé's concerts and urged other law enforcement labor unions across the nation to join them in their protest against the singer's politically inspired music video and Super Bowl half-time performance of her latest single, "Formation."
The Miami Fraternal Order of Police is planning to boycott security for Beyoncé's "Formation World Tour," which kicks off at the city's Marlins Stadium on April 27.
Beyoncé sparked outrage with her "Formation" music video, which features imagery referencing Hurricane Katrina and the Black Lives Matter movement. The singer's Super Bowl performance also included back-up dancers wearing outfits inspired by the Black Panthers, according to NBC Miami.
Fraternal Order of Police President Javier Ortiz said in a statement that Beyonce's Super Bowl performance divided "Americans by promoting the Black Panthers and her anti-police message shows how she does not support law enforcement."
Ortiz added that he "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 profession," but stumbled upon the music video while browsing through channels and took offence to a scene in particular, which shows a hoodie-clad boy dancing in front of police in riot gear.
Ortiz said the imagery referenced the Black Lives Matter movement, which was inspired by the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.
"I salute NYPD Officer Richard Rainey, who succumbed to his injuries on February 16 [1981] from being shot by two Black Panthers, who he had pulled over in a traffic stop," continued Ortiz. "I also salute the dozens of law enforcement officers that have been assassinated by members of the Black Panthers."
This isn't the first time an anti-Beyoncé movement has been called for. A group called Proud of the Blues held an anti-Beyoncé rally outside the NFL's headquarters in New York City earlier this week. Three people showed up for the protest, as HNGN previously reported.
