NYPD Officers Denounce Mayor Bill De Blasio With Banner Flown Over New York City
Some NYPD officers sent a strong message to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio Friday with a banner flown over the city which read, “De Blasio, Our Backs Have Turned To You.”
John Cardillo, a retired New York City policeman and current reporter, claims that a group of about 200 active and retired NYPD officers of various ranks — who feel that the mayor’s actions and comments are responsible for the “hostile climate” toward law enforcement personnel — sponsored the banner. Cardillo says that the coalition of NYPD members also contacted him and asked him to release a statement on his blog, and publish a picture of the banner after it was flown.
“It is our opinion that Mayor deBlasio’s dangerous and irresponsible comments about his and his wife’s concern for their son’s safety at the hands of the NYPD fueled the flames that led to civil unrest, and potentially to the deaths of PO Wenjian Liu and PO Rafael Ramos, as well as the continued threats against NYPD personnel. The Mayor shows us no respect, and encourages the public to follow his lead.
“Mayor deBlasio clearly doesn’t understand nor care that every man and woman of the NYPD would give their life to protect his son, his family, and every other resident of New York City. Tragically, two of our Finest made that ultimate sacrifice days before Christmas.
“We no longer have confidence in Mayor deBlasio, nor in his ability to lead New York City and promote the values that both the NYPD and the good law abiding citizens of the city hold dear. Mayor deBlasio turned his back on us long before we turned our backs on him. “
According to Newsweek, the plane pulling the banner circled above New York City just before 9 a.m. Friday morning, flying five times between the Statue of Liberty and the George Washington Bridge.
The banner references the decision of some police officers to literally turn their backs toward de Blasio at a press conference addressing the deaths of the two NYPD officers who were shot, execution-style, by an African-American man claiming it was retaliation for the death of Eric Gardner at the hands of a New York police officer. The press conference and the officers’ actions can be seen in this video posted by the Inquisitr.
De Blasio’s comments regarding his bi-racial son’s safety with the city’s cops after the death of Eric Gardner angered many who feel he has encouraged hatred against police, and that he threw the city’s department “under the bus.” Since the death of the two NYPD officers, a MoveOn.org petition calling for Mayor de Blasio’s resignation has gained over 64,000 signatures from citizens throughout the United States.
[Image via John Cardillo]
