An Oklahoma police union posted, and then deleted a Facebook meme that called out NFL players taking a knee during the National Anthem.
A Tulsa’s Fraternal Order of Police spokesperson said the controversial meme that read ‘To the brave NFL players that ran into a hotel with an active sniper… Nevermind, those were police officers,’ was intended to praise the responding officers in Vegas.
‘The meme surfaced after several weeks of discussion on social media about the negative issue with NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem,’ Mark Secrist, president of union told Tulsa World. ‘We were only showcasing the heroic acts of our Brothers and Sisters in Las Vegas.’
The controversial meme by the Tulsa police union was multilayered as some said it furthered the divide between law enforcement and the black community, while others said it exploited the 59 lives lost in the Vegas shooting
NFL players have been taking a knee in acts of civil disobedience throughout the season
The post which appeared late Monday had over 3,000 comments before it was deleted.
Secrist said the post had garnered an ‘overwhelmingly’ positive reaction. It also received considerable backlash, but Secrist said he expected the negative comments.
NFL players in the hundreds have been kneeling in an act of civil disobedience this season
Even more attention was brought to their protests when President Donald Trump called players who took a knee ‘sons of b*tches.’
Several people complained about the union’s Facebook post saying it only furthered the divide between Tulsa’s black community and law enforcement.
Others said it exploited the Vegas shooting that left 59 dead during a country music festival, after shooter Stephen Paddock let out a barrage of bullets from his hotel room at Mandalay Bay.
A wounded person is walked in on a wheelbarrow as Las Vegas police respond during an active shooter situation on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas Sunday
‘I don’t know who is responsible for this, but you’ve set back the reputation and good will toward (the Tulsa Police Department) in the minds of the people who need to trust you the most,’ another commenter wrote according to Tulsa World.
Secrist did say the police union needs to do a better job of connecting with the community and reducing racial tensions.
He also said improving relations is an ongoing goal.
Secrist said the decision to delete the post was because ‘we didn’t want attention drawn away from the terrible tragedy and other issues’ affecting law enforcement.