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Black Lives Matter: Note Found By Burning Police Car Mentions Protests

By Chelsea Hoffman
Published on: 07:12 PST, Jul 18, 2016

A note referencing the Black Lives Matter movement has reportedly been found near the scene of a burning police car in Daytona Beach, Florida. CBS News reports that the note was found around 2:30 a.m., Sunday, after someone had set fire to a parked police car.

Firefighters arrived on the scene early Sunday morning, after learning that a police cruiser had been intentionally set on fire. Fortunately, no officers were in the vehicle at the time of the incident. That’s because the car is a so-called “ghost car,” used to deter crime. In other words, it was an unmanned police car, used as a decoy to intimidate any potential would-be criminals in the area. When firefighters arrived, the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. After successfully extinguishing the fire, a note was reportedly found which referenced the Black Lives Matter movement, along with an expletive aimed at police officers.

“Black Lives Matter. A. Sterling P. Castile. F**k the police!!!”

Authorities have not clarified on where the note was found, other than it was found “near” the scene of the burning police car. So it seems that police in Florida are treating this case of arson as some kind of attack in the name of the Black Lives Matter movement and possible retaliation for the recent deaths of two black men at the hands of police officers.

The Washington Post reports that the parked police cruiser had been “firebombed,” and it was parked right outside a mosque. The report indicates that police aren’t sure whether or not the incident actually has anything to do with the BLM movement. An investigation is currently open to determine what actually happened, and who is responsible for the incident.

The Washington Post notes that the Black Lives Matter movement is “largely peaceful,” civil rights movement. However, tensions are indeed running high as has been illustrated by comments made by celebrities of all races, as well as people in law enforcement and activists within the Black Lives Matter movement.

Did someone within the BLM movement maliciously set fire to a police cruiser to intimidate law enforcement? Or did someone with negative feelings toward the civil rights movement stage the incident in order to make BLM protesters look like violent, anti-cop thugs? This is a highly divisive topic that only continues to create impassioned debate with each new incident reported in the media, whether those incidents be cop-on-black aggression or criminal acts committed by BLM activists.

What are your thoughts on the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement? Opinions appear to be mixed on the issue with some people in the media declaring BLM as “the enemy.” Meanwhile, others argue that the movement itself is based on good intentions; To attract much-needed attention to issues in the criminal justice system. Are “a few bad eggs” ruining the image of this movement, or has Black Lives Matter spiraled out of control?

As for this latest incident in Florida, authorities are investigating the arson, but no suspects have been identified. Furthermore, no reports indicate whether or not any surveillance was available in the area where the police cruiser was set on fire.

[Photo via Daytona Beach Police Department]

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