Pop star Beyonce faces a possible security boycott of her concert tour from cops in Texas. The lesson she may well have to learn from the Super Bowl two weeks ago is that no move, deed or word goes unstudied, or un-criticized. Her half time performance is a textbook case.
Turning her performance into show of support or rally for the Black Panthers has brought on the wrath of social media, but no where more keenly felt than in her tour operation.
Police in both Miami and Tampa say they will not provide security for her performances there, and now two Texas agencies are being asked for their position on a called-for boycott by police across the nation.
It started in Miami, when the president of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Lt. Javier Ortiz, called on all police officers everywhere to boycott all of her concerts on her forthcoming world tour.
Beyonce “used this year’s Super Bowl to divide Americans by promoting the Black Panthers and her anti-police message,” Ortiz said in a letter announcing the boycott.
With her tour coming to the AT&T Stadium in Arlington on May 9, more than a few people are curious about the attitude of Arlington Police or Tarrant County sheriff’s deputies who would be hired to provide security.
Prior to her Super Bowl performance, where she reportedly bashed law enforcement, she received a police escort to the stadium
Security is vital to an operation of the size and scale of this tour. From guarding the venue for possible terrorist attacks or people who want to scam in without a ticket, to protecting the multi-million dollar sound and light package, and protecting the artist while she’s on stage, a concert of this size will employ dozens of off-duty officers.
And across the country, the #BoycottBeyonce movement is growing, as reported by Breitbart.
Dallas FOP President Ron Pinkston told WFAA-TV that his group is not calling for the boycott, but wouldn’t be surprised if Arlington officers stayed away from the “Formation World Tour” concert on May 9th in Arlington.
The vice president of the Dallas FOP was a little tougher in his words. Frederick Frazier said, “When she comes to Dallas, she needs to know that the anti-police message is not welcomed.”
There has been no announcement from the Arlington FOP chapter, or an official announcement from the Arlington Police Department, and through the weekend, media inquiries were not answered.
Rob Milford is a reporter for Breitbart Texas. You can follow him on Twitter.