Los Angeles Police Protective League & Law Enforcement Associations' statement on U.S. Representative Clay Re-hanging Offensive Anti-Law Enforcement "Art" in U.S. Capitol
Dishonoring officers the day after Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
Jan 10, 2017, 17:54 ET
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles Police Protective League, Sergeants Benevolent Association of New York, San Francisco Police Officers Association, San Jose Police Officers Association and Oakland Police Officers Association issued the following statement today in response to U.S. Representative William Clay re-hanging offensive anti-law enforcement "art" in the U.S. Capitol.
"Representative William Clay's poor judgment was on full display today as he chose to continue his disparaging treatment of law enforcement by re-hanging a piece of art that is both offensive and repugnant to sworn peace officers and their families.
Rep. Clay, who clearly is not a profile in courage, took this have-it-both-ways stand by stating: "I do not agree or disagree with the painting, but I will fight to protect this young man's right to express himself."
The 27,000 members we collectively represent could not disagree more with that statement. By re-hanging this painting in our nation's capitol, Rep. Clay is not only agreeing with it, but he's celebrating it. Clay agrees with this painting's depiction of police officers as pigs looking to gun down innocent people and he shouldn't cowardly hide behind the first amendment to justify re-hanging the picture.
We applaud former sheriff and now Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) for writing the Architect of the Capitol to seek removal of this painting because it violates the competition's rules, which state that "exhibits depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature are not allowed".
We wish to thank Representative Duncan Hunter for taking bold action to remove this stain from our capitol and we also urge Speaker Paul Ryan to utilize his authority and remove this offensive painting from the halls of congress. Please see letter to Speaker Ryan here."
Los Angeles Police Protective League
Sergeants Benevolent Association of New York
San Francisco Police Officers Association
San Jose Police Officers Association
Oakland Police Officers Association
SOURCE Los Angeles Police Protective League; Sergeants Benevolent Association of New York; San Francisco Police Officers Association; San Jose Police Officers Association; Oakland Police Officers Association
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