On Sunday, Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies raised a "Thin Blue Line" flag outside of the justice center to replace an American flag Sheriff Jim Neil says was stolen during acts of "vandalism."
Not unsurprising, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil @hcso_org is only making things worth by replacing the American Flag with the “Blue Lives Matter” flag at the Hamilton County Justice Center. Thank God voters sent him to retirement in the Democrat primary. pic.twitter.com/UaFdjVD2wk
— Chris Seelbach (@ChrisSeelbach) June 1, 2020
Neil says the blue flag was also flown to honor the CPD officer who was shot (but not injured) on Saturday night in Clifton/CUF during a stand-off with a group of protestors.
Thin Blue Line flags are associated with the Blue Lives Matter movement, which says that killing an officer should be considered a hate crime. A thin blue line is the term used to describe the line between citizens and police and their role in maintaining order from chaos.
Opting to fly this flag during protests and demonstrations about the death of black citizens at the hands of police, as well as other racially motivated murders, is tone deaf at best and incendiary in general.
The flag was also widely displayed during the Unite the Right white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017, to the point that its use prompted the company that makes the flag — Thin Blue Line USA — to issue a statement saying: "We reject, in the strongest possible terms, any association of our flag with racism, hatred, and bigotry. To use it in such a way tarnishes what it and our nation believe in. The thin blue line flag stands for the sacrifice law enforcement officers of this nation make each day. We ask our nation to hold faith with those that defend the thin blue line."
Should have been replaced with American flag immediately. Not replaced with a politically charged blue lives matter flag when thousands are protesting in our streets because #BlackLivesMatter Sheriff Neil has only made things worse. Again.
— Chris Seelbach (@ChrisSeelbach) June 1, 2020
That flag has since been removed and replaced with an American flag.