Members of the Miami Police Union have called for a boycott of Beyonce's upcoming Florida concerts and are urging law enforcement to not provide security for them, according to the Sun Sentinel.
Saying that Beyonce's Super Bowl performance was a political call to action, Javier Ortiz, president of the Miami Fraternal Order of Police, said the singer did not support law enforcement. “The fact that Beyoncé used this year’s Super Bowl to divide Americans by promoting the Black Panthers and her antipolice message shows how she does not support law enforcement,” he said in a statement.
However, a Miami Police Department spokesman told WFOR that officers will be providing protection during the upcoming concert.
Tampa Police have also said that they'll be providing protection during the Beyonce concert locally, despite news reports to the contrary.
What?! @TampaPD officers have been in #formation for days signing up to keep the #Beehive safe! #Truth #Fact pic.twitter.com/5skrSDNHNS
— TampaPD (@TampaPD) February 18, 2016
.@thegrio This is factually incorrect. We do have ofc signed up to work the Beyonce concert & the event will be fully staffed.
— TampaPD (@TampaPD) February 18, 2016
Statement from The Tampa Police Benevolent AssociationThe Tampa PBA is disgusted with Beyonce’s performance on the night of the Super Bowl and equally disgusted with her new video “Formation.” The PBA does not support any artist who spreads an anti-police message.We urge all law enforcement officers to boycott the purchase of Beyonce’s music and the purchase of tickets for her performances.The Tampa PBA agrees extra duty assignments are voluntary and we support members who choose not to work extra duty. However, we are confident that on April 29th Tampa Police Officers will police Beyonce’s concert with courtesy, professionalism, and respect as they do daily for the citizens of Tampa.-Vinny Gericitano
