A Black Lives Matter protest was staged in and out of Buffalo Police headquarters in downtown this morning. WBFO's Eileen Buckley says it was organized by a group called Showing Up For Racial Justice Action demanding a web post by a police union leader be removed.
“Black Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter,” shouted protesters outside of Police headquarters on Franklin Street.
Protesters marched into Police headquarters with signs saying ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘No more fire power’ directed at police.
Buffalo Police Benevolent Association Vice President John Evans came out of his office to speak with them.
They are demanding Evans to remove a PBA website post he wrote. Evans posted officers are now forced to request rifles to protect themselves from assault weapons on the streets, but he also wrote those on the streets should 'comply' with their orders and they won't get killed.
“Comply with our orders and you won't get yourself killed. Enough!!!,” wrote Evans in his post.
Evans tells WBFO News he will not remove his post and stands by what he wrote.
“I did write it,” stated Evans. “I stand by what I posted. I’m outraged at the killings of the police officers across the country. I would like police officers to be extra vigilant in these times. I don’t want to go to a funeral. I don’t want to plan one. I don’t want anything to do with it.”
Bob LaVallee led today's Black Lives Matter protest. He tells WBFO they want the post removed.
“We are out here in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and we are out here to get the Police Benevolent Association to take down that horrible post,” LaValle said.
LaVallee denounced the post by Evans. He also said they want politicians not to ‘stand in silence’.
“The general public has a lot of concerns about their safety now and every interaction with police,” said LaValle. “136 black folks have died at the hands of police in 2016 and it’s only July,” Evans replied.
“No justice, no peace,” chanted protesters.
The protesters are calling on city officers to 'denounce the killings' of the two black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. They said they are not 'anti-police', but 'anti-violence'.
Here is the entire blog post by PBA Vice President John Evans dated July 15, 2016:
"Another tragic ambush of Police Officers. I am so sick of this. We have requested tazers to minimize physical encounters with the public. We have asked for rifles to enable us to protect ourselves and the public. Neither of which was acted on. Silence from the Mayor, Common Council and our very own Police Commissioner. We are now forced to arm ourselves. Political correctness is putting Police in harms way. This unity nonsense is bullshit. We will not unify with the criminal element of society. Comply with our orders and you won't get yourself killed. Enough!!!
The Alton Sterling incident was a necessary, justified, use of force. That and the Michael Brown and Eric Garner incidents were clearly avoidable, had they complied with the Police Officers." (7/15/16)
