A group of protesters is planning to hold an anti-Beyoncé rally next week outside the NFL’s New York headquarters, after the pop diva’s politically and racially charged Super Bowl halftime performance paid tribute to the militant Black Panther Party.
“Are you offended as an American that Beyoncé pulled her race-baiting stunt at the Superbowl? asks the rally’s Eventbrite page. “Do you agree that it was a slap in the face to law enforcement?”
The page further reads, “Do you agree that the Black Panthers was/is a hate group which should not be glorified? Come and let’s stand together. Let’s tell the NFL we don’t want hate speech & racism at the Superbowl ever again!”
The halftime show, which was headlined by the rock band Coldplay and seen by an estimated 112 million people, has drawn praise from Beyoncé fans and members of the BlackLives Matter movement.
At one point during the show, Beyoncé performed a routine, in which her dancers formed an “X” on the field. Some people have interpreted the “X” as a tribute to late black activist Malcolm X.
The singer and her dancers, who were all dressed in black, also raised a fist to the sky, evocative of black power salutes that were made popular during the civil rights era.
The performance also included the introduction of the pop diva’s new single “Formation,” which, includes the lyrics “I like my baby hair, with baby hair and Afros. I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils.”
Beyoncé’s big game routine has also drawn pointed criticism.
On Monday’s Fox & Friends, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani slammed the halftime show as “ridiculous.”
“I thought it was really outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officers who are the people who protect her and protect us, and keep us alive,” said Giuliani.
The former New York mayor added: “I don’t know what the heck it was. A bunch of people bouncing around and all strange things. It was terrible. Actually don’t even know why we have this. I mean, this is football.”
Twitter users also noted Beyoncé relied on a police escort to make it safely to her anti-police performance at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
https://twitter.com/NanaHawaiiana/status/696728200764719104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The anti-Beyoncé rally will be held Tuesday, Feb. 16, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM outside the NFL headquarters building at 345 Park Ave. in Manhattan.
The event’s organizers are asking those who wish to join to “be peaceful and respect the boundaries of private property.”
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