News

Somerville police to protest Black Lives Matter sign at city hall

SOMERVILLE, Mass. — Police officers from across the state will rally against the Black Lives Matter banner hanging over Somerville's city hall.

Around the same time as the police protest, there will be a counter-protest by Black Lives Matter supporters in another part of the city.

The president of the Somerville police union sent Mayor Joseph Curtatone a letter asking to have the banner removed.

"We strongly object to a public banner sponsored by the City that [implicitly] paints police officers as the killers of innocent citizens of color,” Michael McGrath said in the letter.

The banner has been hanging at city hall since August of last year, and Curtatone said that will not change any time soon.

"Let me be clear, that banner will not come down,” he said.

Curtatone said the city backs its police force, noting the banner honoring the slain officers over police headquarters, but said they will continue to address the problem of racial injustice at city hall.

"To blame the violence against police against the whole movement of Black Lives Matter is wrong,” he said.

People who live in the area are surprised the union would take offense to the mayor’s decision.

"It's absolutely the right decision and I think it's bizarre anyone would be offended by it,” one resident said.

They also said the union president is out of touch with the intentions of the Black Lives Matter movement.

"I can see where they're coming from, but at the same time I think there's always a fringe element to every movement and you have cut off the extremists on both sides and focus on the positive qualities in the center that are really advocating for the right thing,” one resident said.

In the letter, the union president also points out the officers accused of killing Freddie Gray were acquitted of the allegations, and says the officers accused of deadly force against Philando Castile and Alton Sterling have yet to be convicted of the charges.

As first reported by FOX25's Jacqui Heinrich: