Saint Louis Theatre apologizes for putting ‘blue lives matter’ on its marquee
ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) – The Fox Theatre issued an apology Thursday for putting ‘blue lives matter’ on its marquee.
The theater put the phrase up to honor retired police Captain David Dorn, who was shot and killed at Lee’s Pawn and Jewelry in North City during a night of unrest.
The theater also posted a message honoring the life of George Floyd.
The apology from the theatre is below:
“We sincerely apologize to the Black community for the hurt we have caused by our recent marquee messaging. While our intention was to display a show of unity and to honor both George Floyd and Officer David Dorn, the delivery of that message failed when we included the blue lives matter hashtag. We are truly sorry for the hurt and anger this message has caused.
The Fabulous Fox is a place for all, and we condemn racism and hate in all forms. We love St. Louis and we want to be a part of the solution. We are listening and we are learning.
Unequivocally #blacklivesmatter”
Photo Credit: kmov.com
Anytime Fitness in Wisconsin apologizes for “I Can’t Breathe” workout
(WTMJ/CNN/Meredith) — An Anytime Fitness in Wisconsin is apologizing after posting a workout called “I Can’t Breathe” on a white board inside the gym.
Some people are calling the workout insensitive and disturbing in the wake of the death of George Floyd, who was heard saying “I Can’t Breathe” as a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck.
The photo of the workout written on a white board at the gym in Wauwatosa has been circling around social media, drawing backlash. The board reads: “I Can’t Breathe…” followed by workout instructions, and at the bottom reads “…And don’t you dare lay down.” There is also a drawing of a man on his knees.
A statement released by Anytime Fitness does not say who created the workout or what their intent was.
The Anytime Fitness corporate office is also apologizing. Its founders said they were devastated to see the “I Can’t Breathe” workout sign.
They went on to say this incident makes it clear that “we have work to do, we are sharing this incident with our franchise owners worldwide as an example of what not to do and why it is offensive.”
Gym member Marc Taylor said he was disturbed to see the sign.
“Sometimes people don’t really understand what’s going on here in the community. They might have thought ‘okay, we’ll use this into a workout and try to put it together,’ but it’s not that right now. It’s wrong timing,” Taylor said.
Taylor said the sign was insensitive and inappropriate.
“This is not what you should be doing right now. You got a man that lost his life,” Taylor said, in reference to Floyd.
Photo Credit: kmov.com
Band-Aid launching racially diverse bandages
After years of petitions, Band-Aid will now launch a new line of bandages in a range of different skin tone colors — from beige to dark brown — to “embrace the beauty of diverse skin,” the firm announced Thursday.
The bandage brand, which is owned by Johnson & Johnson, said it plans to roll out the new product in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement amid protests against racial injustice and the death of George Floyd.
For years, advocates have petitioned the brand to produce a broad range of skin tones.
The company didn’t say when the new Band-Aids would hit the shelves. In 2018, the multi-tone bandage company Tru-Colour, which celebrates different racial identities, made its way into Target stores nationwide.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/band-aid-launching-racially-diverse-bandages/
Photo Credit: nypost.com
Illinois teacher says term ‘white privilege’ is as offensive as N-word
An Illinois school has launched an investigation after a teacher claimed “white privilege” was as offensive as the N-word, according to reports.
The Palatine High School teacher, who was not identified, prompted backlash when she said in since-deleted Facebook posts that calling out white privilege was racist, news station WGNTV reported.
“I find the term ‘white privilege’ as racist as the N-word. You have not walked in my shoes either so do not make assumptions about me and my so-called privilege,” she reportedly wrote.
The educator, who teaches social studies, apparently then went on to call Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton “race-baiters,” the outlet said.
“You think America is racist? Then you have been hoodwinked by the white liberal establishment and race-baiters like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton,” she wrote.
Local activist Tim McGowan, who recently organized a Black Lives Matter protest, called for the school to fire the teacher, news station WMAQ reported.
“Everyone is entitled to speak out and to speak their mind, but as a teacher molding minds, it’s completely unacceptable to have those kinds of narrow ideas,” McGowan told the outlet.
Principal Tony Medina said the social media posts from the teacher “do not represent the values and principles” of the staff, news station WMAQ reported.
“We are currently conducting an investigation and will follow through with appropriate measures,” Medina said.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/teacher-says-term-white-privilege-is-as-offensive-as-n-word/
Photo Credit: nypost.com
LA parents both die of coronavirus, leaving five children orphaned
A Los Angeles mom and dad died of the coronavirus just one day apart — leaving behind five underage kids, according to a new report.
Karina Bonilla, 38, died on Monday, and her 60-year-old husband Humberto Ruelas-Rivas passed away a day earlier, KTLA reported.
They left behind five children, ages 2 to 17, as well as Ruelas-Rivas’ two adult daughters from a previous relationship.
“Within six days, I lost my father,” said Ruelas-Rivas’ daughter, Maria Ruelas, 35, of Downey. “And within eight hours, I lost my stepmother. And now I have five kids.”
Ruelas believes her stepmother contracted coronavirus from the fruit vendor she worked for, who showed symptoms but opted not to self-isolate.
“She went to work and in less than a week she started presenting symptoms,” Ruelas told the station. “She went home and then my father started getting sick.”
Ruelas told KTLA she could never say her last goodbyes to her father.
“Even though they’re deceased, the virus is still active in their bodies so you can’t touch the body,” she said. “I hope this story doesn’t repeat again. It’s devastating.”
Ruelas, who is now engaged, told the station she’s trying to gain legal custody of her siblings — and is “happy to do it in the memory of my father.”
She is also caring for her 30-year-old sister who is hospitalized with the coronavirus and suffered a stroke.
“It’s gonna be a struggle,” Ruelas told the station. “I don’t have children of my own and now I know maybe this is the reason why.”
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/la-parents-both-die-of-coronavirus-leaving-five-kids-orphaned/
Photo Credit: nypost.com/GoFundMe
NASCAR driver Ray Ciccarelli says he’s leaving sport over Confederate flag ban
(Meredith) – Not long after NASCAR announced its decision to ban the Confederate flag from its racetracks, driver Ray Ciccarelli said he intends to leave the sport over the new policy.
Ciccarelli announced the decision on Facebook, saying he is concerned about NASCAR’s direction and will stop racing after the 2020 season.
Per CBS Sports, the full post reads:
Well its been a fun ride and dream come true but if this is the direction Nascar is headed we will not participate after 2020 season is over , i don’t believe in kneeling during Anthem nor taken ppl right to fly what ever flag they love. I could care less about the Confederate Flag but there are ppl that do and it doesn’t make them a racist all you are doing is f—ing one group to cater to another and i ain’t spend the money we are to participate in any political BS!! So everything is for SALE!!
Ciccarelli’s social media accounts were deactivated sometime later, but not before multiple media outlets captured what he wrote.
The Houston Chronicle reported that Ciccarelli races part-time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.
His post came within hours of NASCAR announcing it will prohibit the Confederate flag at future events in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Floyd died in police custody after a Minneapolis officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes, sparking nationwide protests and calls for police reform.
“The presence of the Confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry,” NASCAR said in a statement on its website.
“Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special. The display of the Confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties.”
The issue was pushed to the forefront this week by Bubba Wallace, the only full-time African American driver in NASCAR’s Cup Series, who called for the banishment of the Confederate flag and said there was “no place” for it in the sport.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps also vowed to do a better job of addressing racial injustice.
Photo Credit: David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire/kmov.com
Cop says ‘I don’t care’ to man who died after saying he can’t breathe
Chilling video has emerged in the death of a black man being pinned to the ground by police in Oklahoma City last year, pleading “I can’t breathe!” — to which an officer responds, “I don’t care.”
In the footage released by police, Derrick Scott, 42, is seen being restrained by three officers using their knees and hands as they remove a pistol from his pocket and hold him for about 13 minutes before paramedics arrive.
Police said they were responding to reports of a black man who displayed a handgun during an argument on May 20, 2019.
“I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!” Scott says repeatedly, begging for what appears to be an inhaler on the ground after a foot chase, according to KFOR.
“I don’t care,” Officer Jarred Tipton can be heard replying.
Another officer adds a couple of minutes later: “You can breathe just fine.”
A cop later tries to administer CPR to the apparently unresponsive man before paramedics arrive. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
According to an autopsy obtained by NBC News, Scott suffered a right pneumothorax, or collapsed lung.
The autopsy — which listed his manner of death as “undetermined” — said the police actions did not result in “fatal trauma.”
It said “significant” factors contributed to his death, including physical restraint, recent methamphetamine use, asthma, bullous emphysema and atherosclerotic heart disease, according to NBC News.
Police Capt. Larry Withrow said a probe by the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office cleared Tipton and the two other cops — Ashley Copeland and Sgt. Jennifer Titus — of misconduct.
“In reviewing the actions of your officers I saw nothing inappropriate; nor was there any evidence of misconduct by your officers,” DA David Prater wrote, according to the Oklahoman.
“They did exactly what they should have done under the circumstances and handled the call very well,” he added.
Withrow said the techniques the cops used to restrain Scott were consistent with those they learned at the police academy to help minimize injury to suspects.
He said one officer placed her knee across the man’s shoulder blades while another straddled his waist before sliding down to his legs once control had been achieved, the paper reported.
Withrow said that once Scott complained he couldn’t breathe, the cops rolled him over into a “recovery position” and called for medical help.
“I don’t know that there is any more that they could have done to monitor the suspect or ensure his health,” said Withrow, who attributed Tipton’s dismissive words to Scott to the “heat of a conflict.”
“Certainly that may be something an officer says,” he told KFOR. “Just understand the officers are fighting with someone at that point.”
But the Rev. T. Sheri Dickerson of Black Live Matters OKC said she believed Tipton really meant he did not care about Scott’s pleas.
“When he said it, I believed him, and that’s problematic because that means that you’re a person who’s not even acknowledging and just fine with saying, literally, when someone says ‘I’m in crisis’ ‘I don’t care,’” Dickerson said, the news outlet reported.
Scott’s mother, Vickey Scott, reviewed portions of the footage, which was released after demands by Black Lives Matter after protests over the death of George Floyd, who also was heard saying he couldn’t breathe while being detained by Minneapolis cops.
She called police actions on her son “one of the most inhumane things” she had ever seen.
“They did not do anything for him. They treated him like he was an animal. He was trying to get his breath. He was trying to breathe, and they ignored him the whole time, like he was nothing. They even treat animals better than they treated my son,” she told the Oklahoman.
“It’s very hard. I want every mother to watch that … and imagine that’s your son’s last so many minutes of life and he’s dying and they’re saying that he’s faking,” she said.
“My heart is just broken. I want the officers to be convicted of killing my son. I want something to be done about police officers being more compassionate when people tell them they can’t breathe,” the mother added.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/cop-says-i-dont-care-to-man-who-died-saying-he-cant-breathe/
Photo Credit: nypost.com
Video shows cops call man ‘dumb ass’ as they watch him drown
Tennessee cops ignored a drowning man’s repeated cries of “Help me!” — calling him a “dumb ass” rather than trying to save him, according to disturbing police bodycam video.
Johnny “JJ” Baldwin, 24, fell into Tims Ford Boiling Fork Creek in Winchester as he fled on foot after officers tried to pull him over for a minor traffic violation early last Thursday, authorities told WKRN.
Officers were heard teasing Baldwin as he called out for help three times while clearly struggling before he drowned, the station said when it aired the footage.
“Well then, swim,” one officer can be heard replying after one of his pleas, saying, “Your dumb ass jumped in the river.”
When one of the four officers there volunteered to follow him into the water, another — confirmed by police as a sergeant — stopped him, the report said.
“No, don’t go in there with him, he’s going to pull you down,” the sergeant said.
The sergeant even seemed unconcerned when a colleague warned that Baldwin had “gone under.”
“He’s doing it on purpose,” the sergeant claimed.
Winchester Police Chief Richard Lewis called it an “extremely sad situation,” telling ABC News his department has “caught absolute hell” after releasing the bodycam footage.
He insisted the officers “made the right decision” given it was dark, they did not know how deep the water was and they were not trained in water rescues. The rescue squad and dive team were en route before Baldwin drowned, the police incident report said.
“If my officer got in there and got tied up with him [and got pulled under], it’s just a bad situation,” Lewis told ABC News.
Baldwin’s family is calling for the officers to be fired and charged, the stations said.
“He was an innocent 24-year-old man, drowned begging for help three times and the police sat there and laughed and made jokes about it,” close family friend Brian Kirk told WKRN.
Two Decherd police officers were involved along with two from Winchester, the reports said. Decherd’s police chief did not immediately respond to the stations’ requests for comment.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/video-shows-cops-call-man-dumb-ass-as-they-watch-him-drown/
Photo Credit: nypost.com
Instagram influencers spark outrage for donning blackface in support of BLM
Instagram influencers in the Middle East and Eastern Europe are being slammed on social media after donning blackface in an offensive attempt to show solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters. Their tone-deaf gesture comes in the wake of protests over the death of George Floyd while in police custody last month, which resulted in the arrests of four Minnesota officers.
In one of the questionable ‘Gram pics, Lebanese vocalist Tania Saleh can be seen sporting a photoshopped Angela Davis-esque Afro and black skin paint. The photo was captioned “wish I was black, today more than ever…Sending my love and full support to the people who demand equality and justice for all races anywhere in the world.”
Needless to say, the star’s social-media minstrel show didn’t sit well with online activists.
“Tania no no no!” wrote one ashamed fan, before urging Saleh to “read why doing blackface is wrong on so many levels.”
“This is by far the most unfortunate time for you to be making a point in this unfortunate way,” they added in reference to the fraught racial climate resulting from Floyd’s killing.
Algerian artist Souhila Ben Lachhab was similarly lambasted after posting a photo of herself with half her body painted brown. “Just because we’re black on the outside, doesn’t mean we’re black on the inside,” she wrote in the parody-worthy post. “Racist people are the true black heart ones. They are black on the inside, and they know it.”
An incensed Instagram poster called the two-faced display “truly disrespectful” adding, “you’re doing BLACKFACE.”
One popular Polish artist, known on Instagram as Saint Hoax, even compiled screenshots of the various blackface posts as well as a visual history of the sordid practice.
“How can you ‘spread awareness’ about a subject you know so little about?” they wondered. “If you genuinely care about a cause, the least you can do is educate yourself about it.”
However, the influencers are sticking to their guns with many refusing to take down the offensive pics.
“I have posted this with love and I will not remove it despite all your offensive comments,” wrote a defiant Saleh in response to the criticisms.
The singer said in a statement that “she did not mean to mock black people in any way’” and that all of her “idols in dance and music are black.”
She added, “I forgive you for all the hate I received today because you made me block the unnecessary evil on this page . . . And by the way, all the human race comes from Africa after all! We are all originally black.”
Saleh’s not the first to spark outrage over blackface amid the George Floyd protests. Earlier this month, a teen TikTokker received backlash over a minstrel-show evoking makeup tutorial while Jimmy Fallon found himself in hot water after a clip resurfaced of “The Tonight Show” host sporting blackface in a “Saturday Night Live” sketch from 2000.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/influencers-spark-outrage-for-donning-blackface-in-support-of-blm/
Photo Credit: Instagram/Snapchat
Florida cop arrested after video shows him punching man in hospital
A Florida cop resigned from the force and faces criminal charges after video emerged of him slapping and punching a drunk man, according to a new report.
Fort Pierce Police Officer Albert Eckrode, 31 — a K-9 handler who was named Officer of the Month in 2016 — resigned Friday, a day after he was arrested on felony charges of battery and official misconduct, and a misdemeanor count of false report of the commission of a crime, TCPalm.com reported.
His fellow officer, Monica Frederic, 27, turned herself in Friday to face a misdemeanor false police report charge, according to the outlet.
“So that we’re perfectly clear here, this was not a use-of-force situation,” Fort Pierce Police Chief Diane Hobley-Burney told reporters. “This was a criminal act.”
The three-minute video, captured on Lawnwood Regional Medical Center’s security system on Feb. 20, shows a 38-year-old man sitting in a recliner in the mental health unit with his feet up, wearing only shorts and socks.
The man had been picked up for public intoxication and brought to the hospital. In the clip, he appears to be gesturing and yelling at Frederic, who is seated about 10 feet away, as well as another officer, when Eckrode enters.
Eckrode is shown confronting the man, using his foot to slam down the recliner’s footrest.
The unfolding exchange involves Eckrode slapping and punching him several times.
Though the patient at one point appears to start yelling back at Eckrode and taps his own cheek, as if to challenge him — prompting the officer to tap his own ear — the man never laid hands on Eckrode.
In their police reports, Eckrode and Frederic said the intoxicated man had been yelling racial slurs at Frederic, who is black.
Both Eckrode and the hospitalized man are white.
But Hobley-Burney said the incident was “not racially motivated at all.”
“It takes a lot for us to select someone as our K-9 officer and this was just a regrettable situation, I will say that,” she said. “And I’m not making excuses, but sometimes we are human too. And I think what was happening with [Eckrode] is it’s possible that what was being said, he wanted [the man] to stop, and he did not, and it involved [Eckrode] taking those actions.”
Eckrode is free after posting $4,500 bond and Frederic has been released on $1,000 bond.
Frederic’s attorney, Marty White, called his client “a good young lady, a good officer.”
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/10/florida-cop-busted-for-allegedly-punching-drunk-man-in-hospital/
Photo Credit: Fort Pierce PD