Miami Police Union To Boycott Beyonce Concert

The Miami Fraternal Order of Police announced that it will boycott Beyonce’s April concert in the city at Marlins Stadium. This is in response to Beyonce’s controversial halftime performance at this year’s Super Bowl.

Javier Ortiz, the Miami FOB President, explained, “The fact that Beyonce used this year’s Super Bowl to divide Americans by promoting Black Panthers and her anti-police message shows how she does not support law enforcement.”

Ortiz added that the music video for “Formation” also sends an anti-cop message and called for other officers to follow their lead.

Ortiz went on to say, “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. I also salute the dozens of law enforcement officers that have been assassinated by members of the Black Panthers.”

Protesters had planned to protest outside of NFL headquarters in Manhattan on Feb. 16, but nobody turned up.

This also isn’t the first boycott that the Miami FOB has staged. The first was a response to Quentin Tarantino‘s remarks against police brutality, calling them “murderers” in a November Rally. They called for a boycott of Tarantino’s film, Hateful Eight. 

The controversy of Beyonce’s “Formation” performance is rooted in its Black Panther inspiration. Some praised Beyonce’s boldness while others questioned if it was too polarized or a “race-baiting stunt.”

The Black Panther Party is controversial itself. It was an organization formed in 1966 initially devoted to monitoring and challenging police activity in brutality with armed citizen’s patrolled. But the organization grew to be involved in many community social programs, providing free food to children and community health clinics. The organization is still loathed by the law enforcement community, and the day of the Super Bowl also marked the 50th anniversary of their foundation.

Beyonce has not responded to her criticism.

Beyonce is set to perform in Tampa on April 29 and Tampa police officers have also expressed hesitancy over working the event.