Just when it seemed ‘Single Ladies’ singer Beyonce would be left alone to find (and fund) security efforts for her forthcoming ‘Formation’ stadium tour, a few US cities are standing up for the Grammy winner, vowing to provide detail when the trek visits their respective locations.
While Tampa, FL was first to make headlines when their police department took to Twitter to slam rumors of their intent to boycott, it appears Raleigh, NC and Arlington, TX are now in agreement with the decision. They join a number of police officials – especially black police unions – who are calling out boycotters for discriminatory behavior.
See more on all of this after the jump:
The Raleigh Police Protective Association unanimously voted not to boycott providing security for Beyonce’s upcoming concert at Carter-Finley Stadium on May 3.
“While we do have concerns over the perceived anti-law enforcement images Ms. Knowles used in her most recent music video and her halftime performance at the Super Bowl, we voted unanimously not to boycott the May 3 concert,” [president Matt] Cooper said.
“When we sign up to work an event, we are there working for the overall safety of the event and the patrons NOT the celebrity,” Mason said. “Simply put a formal boycott of working a concert would have zero effect on the concert giver, and more of an effect on the citizens in attendance, citizens that we have taken an oath to protect, regardless of whatever personal beliefs they may or may not have towards us.”
*****
The announcements come as the latest to follow the ‘Super Bowl 50’ controversy, starring Beyonce, Coldplay, and Bruno Mars. In response to the songstress’s ‘Black Panther’-inspired performance set, cities across the U.S. (see: Miami, Nashville, Houston, and more) saw their respective police departments or unions opt out of providing security detail for her forthcoming ‘Formation’ tour when it hits their towns.
The moves incited a responses from the city’s black police union and the Honorable minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam.
“She started talking that black stuff … and white folks (said), ‘We don’t know how to deal with that.’ “
“But when one of us shows some independence, look how you treating Beyoncé now,” he said. “You gonna picket. You not going to offer her police protection? But the (Fruit of Islam, the security branch of his organization,) will.” – Farrakhan, 2016
“…call for police officers to abdicate their sworn duty to protect and serve even the unpopular by boycotting her upcoming concert is another example of what has proven to be a long pattern of irresponsible behavior…”
“All of these things, and others not mentioned here, have common denominators in that they involve African-Americans…portrays [them] in a negative light with thinly veiled racist overtones…”
Ouch! Read their statement in full here.
Yawn! The Queen just needs to hire her own security! She betta call up Obama and get the Coast Guard lol!
Beyoncé gon be straight. Police will be there, her own security will be there, and now the FOI will be too LOL
Lmfao!! Damn errbody just ended up working the Beyonce show ????!!! Shít gunna be on lock like the Pentagon!
Not on my watch! I got my Vaseline and my taser chile lol…they better not try anything cute at Carter-Finley Stadium…Miss Knowles-Carter will perform like a BOSS and everybody will be in formation…that is all….
http://giphy.com/gifs/music-video-beyonce-formation-3o6gb2JPvixhZyevYI
lol 🙂
that’s a lot of money if she does that for every state she tours
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boring….. the Queen is unbothered. selling out stadiums left and right, making history, collecting her millions.. the only thing she needs to worry about is dropping that single and album. we need it B.. we need it now! 🙁
oh, and i’m also unhappy to hear that there won’t be any horn/trumpet section at the formation tour?! you better have your all female band sis.
In other news Zayn and Ariana are coming
.
Rih better get even more uncomfortable
Oh please Cheatanna is not competition. Zayn and Ariana will def debut above #460 ?! Their touring tickers won’t cost $10 HAHAHAHAHA!!! Poor fRih!
kiii drag a bit
K.dot spoke but racism before her though
lmfao
.
Who?
.
In that case my mom neighbours and everyone has spoken about Race
.
What matters is who spoke about it
New, Tupac, Cube, Kanye (before he became a n** case), and etc. Talked about racism waaaayyy before Kdot. So what’s your point?
What other mainstream singer is making music about pro black radicalism and the Black Lives Matters Movement?
*NWA
Fuuck the police
.
The can load their guns and shoot eachother/ themselves
.
That would be a competing entertainment between that beautiful scene and Bey’s performance
.
These police are all sellouts always following the white
.
Tisk Tisk Tik Tok
.
No wonder Monky stays hating on her black self and bashing every black person in site
Lol these white fooools should just give it up already. Dummies don’t know they actually risking the lives of plenty….. Poor mentality.
As we all knew b4 the officers will be there doing their jobs lmfaooo Miami pd also tweeted they will not be boycotting. But Farrakhan went in!!! Shows are selling out Beyoncé and Formation still making world wide news. A free song exclusive to tidal is shaking the world up! I’m loving this! Beyoncé is so powerful. Got police trynna boycott shows, Being talked about at Presidential Debates, Farrakhan preaching about it at the church. I mean her impact is too real. A FREE SONG is causing all this. Sksjxxbdjdjxjfj go off bey! See ya in Chicago baby!
Are you going Friday or sat ?
SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Say it again for these pressed trolls that can’t hear
I’m about to drop $50 on some Anti tickets for me a my four friends.
DEATH!!!!!
ooop
The meet and greet package is still available for purchase? Nice.
Police just hit a new low with this childish petty b*******
Exactly it’s so much more in the world they need to be worried about
F*** THE POLICE!! That should be her next single lol but really we all know Beyoncé will have her own security she don’t need these lame feds anyway she’ll be fine. There are officers who would be more than happy to work for her
B**** shut up .Delete the Queen’s name from your monkier …you dare not put her in the same line with this ugly racist trash .
Ok this is getting tired now. At the end of it at all Beyonces concert will still go ahead with security like nothing happened.
These bigots FINALLY being called out!!
NWA was right.
This s*** makes me wanna watch Straight Outta Compton lmao.
White people killed the Native Indians, enslaved Africans and banished Mexican’s… and wanna turn around and ask “why is everything about race?” Kiiiii
White people have made everything about race for the past 400 YEARS!
Now they expect people’s feelings of animosity and inferiority to just go away!?? Lol.
I DONT THINK SO. ✊✊✊✊✊✊
Speak nothing but facts Tyler ❤️✊?
✊?✊?✊? All darker shades than albino need to unite.
http://giphy.com/gifs/right-oprah-correct-gmnPIrsAeTBlK
🙂
Louis Farrahkhan isn’t playing any games, he’s who white supremicists need to fear, lol
I am glad some police are speaking out I have known this isa witch hunt on queen bey this racist haters nothing good happening to bey thank god you haters are not God
Ugly obese w**** …all she does is put her race in danger just like she aborted jay z child .
You sound so f****** ignorant lol
HoW is she putting us in danger ? B****! We’ve been in DANGER.
Shut it you ungrateful tart …people like you are the reason why so many black teenagers end up in prison with your low self esteem and entitlement.
Stupid b****!
You wouldn’t have the balls to say that to my face though. Because you’d get your pastey ass beat.
This is 2016! Times have changed. Don’t get your s*** ROCKED.
Bitxh stfu and stop venting your anger out on TGJ! Be mad at your parents for saying you’re a failed abortion!
You need to kindly stfu and get your life reevaluated.
Yes! No one can mess with black people when it comes to Bey…and I’m so proud of the unfailing love and support they’ve vowed to give her in terms of making sure her shows are protected. It’s amazing how entitled white people are and how they feel like every minority must bow down to them and kiss their pale ass feet. Lol! I’m here for how people’s true intentions and faces are being pulled left and right in 2016 thus far.
This whole thing is so silly! It’s amazing to see the lengths that people will go to just to punish artists like Beyonce (when they make a few waves). What they truly fear is Bey’s strength, power and influence! With every new era I grow more proud of Beyonce. She’s got a lot of heart and sometimes she proves to be more daring than a lot of artists in her position. I just have tremendous love and respect for B always!
Royal kiv thanks for saying what I was thinking well said I have love and proud of queen bey for ever I will continue to love support her for life their is no one like our bey let’s continue to support her don’t let the racist haters get to us
This is getting out of control and way too far and they act like Beyonce is gonna beat their ass in their home town or something
I have to say this : Beyoncé put her finger into the darkest side of america, because for police officers to refuse doing their job of protection to citizens, says a lot about how police treats people in America.
The police is needed to give security to the thousands of people coming to see the concert.
This boycott should be condemned by the mayors and other political faces of the cities where police decided to boycott.
This is a shame to refuse providing security to the citizens just because of one person, who, by the way has her own security team.
I applaud beyoncé because thanks to that formation video, a lot of dirt came out and highlighted people’s real heart and bad intentions.
Well it’s obvious by the idiotic comments, that most of you haven’t read the article. The police in various states, unanimously agree to protect and serve just as their oath requires them to…Police men and women of every ethnic background and skin color…despite the police being bashing by people like you. Pathetic how some act so entitled and have no regard or respect for others, but expect to be treated with respect — expecting the police and society to bow-down to them when they themselves aren’t accountable for their own part in their own bad behavior. Playing the race card, the victim, and blaming others instead of accepting their own part in matters concerning the law. Throughout history people of every culture and ethnicity around the globe have wronged others and been cruel. It’s truly tragic, but behaving in the same manner only makes you just as bad. I’m a person of multiple heritage, with one skin tone…most people are. And I know good people of all skin color, race, creed, and gender…within every crease of society, in various professions, who treat others how they themselves want to be treated. So wise up, and stop the hate! People like, Farrakhan, contribute nothing to society but incite more hate and division. MLK, would condemn such behavior if he were still alive.
Well it’s obvious by the idiotic comments, that most of you haven’t read the article. The police in various states, unanimously agree to protect and serve just as their oath requires them to…Police men and women of every ethnic background and skin color…despite the police being bashed by people like you. Pathetic how some act so entitled and have no regard or respect for others, but expect to be treated with respect — expecting the police and society to bow-down to them when they themselves aren’t accountable for their own part in their own bad behavior. Playing the race card, the victim, and blaming others instead of accepting their own part in matters concerning the law. Throughout history people of every culture and ethnicity around the globe have wronged others and been cruel. It’s truly tragic, but behaving in the same manner only makes you just as bad. I’m a person of multiple heritage, with one skin tone…most people are. And I know good people of all skin color, race, creed, and gender…within every crease of society, in various professions, who treat others how they themselves want to be treated. So wise up, and stop the hate! People like, Farrakhan, contribute nothing to society but incite more hate and division. MLK, would condemn such behavior if he were still alive.