Police officers in Pittsburgh are threatening to boycott Beyonce’s concert at Heinz Field on May 31, due to their belief that the singer is anti-police. Ever since Beyonce performed her hit song Formation at the Super Bowl halftime show and released the video, which features a sinking cop car, the words ‘Stop Shooting Us’, and other references to police brutality, police and their supporters have been up in arms about the singer’s so-called “anti-police” message. As a result, officers around the country have been calling for a boycott of her Formation tour. Now, Pittsburgh officers are joining the cause and refusing to work the stop of the Formation tour in their city.
The president of the Fraternal Order of Police says that the boycott is not a union-organized effort, but rather something that cops are trying to plan unofficially. Pittsburgh officers are threatening to file a labor complaint if they are forced to work the event; concerts are typically staffed by officers who volunteer and those shifts are considered secondary employment, so officers technically don’t have to work these events. If the boycott does occur, it could lead to severe understaffing at an event that will have over 50,000 people. However, Pittsburgh assistant police chief assures the public that despite some of the officers being anti-Beyonce, the department’s priority is still to keep the fans safe.
“Anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken,” Beyonce previously told Elle in an interview regarding the controversy surrounding her music. “I have so much admiration and respect for officers and the families of the officers who sacrifice themselves to keeps us safe. But let’s be clear: I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things. If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me. I’m proud of what we created and I’m proud to be part of a conversation that is pushing things forward in a positive way.”
