A Wisconsin police chief has banned the “Thin Blue Line” symbol synonymous with police solidarity after it was claimed by white supremacists and hate groups one too many times.University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Chief Kristen Roman announced that department officers will no longer be allowed to display the Thin Blue Line flag while on duty, referencing the Capitol riot in her email to staff and noting the “actions and hateful ideologies of extremists who have so visibly co-opted” the symbol. “This includes flags, pins, bracelets, notebooks, coffee mugs, decals,” she explained in a department-wide email two weeks ago that was made public Tuesday. “Upon my approval, event-specific displays such as line-of-duty death observances may be exempted. Similarly, visible tattoos that include the thin blue line are not required to be covered.”The flag, which features a black and white palette-swapped American flag with a prominent blue stripe across the center, stems from the creation of the “Blue Lives Matter” movement. The movement was founded in 2014 as a direct response to the Black Lives Matter movement, which has scrutinized police departments across the country. The symbol has been embraced by the law enforcement community nationally as well as pro-police Americans who “Back the Blue.”However, the symbol has also been taken up by the far-right community. Racists and violent extremists like the teen shooter Kyle Rittenhouse, who killed two Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha last year and was known to display the symbol on his belongings, have embraced the symbol. They’ve also appeared at violent, pro-Trump rallies during the ex-President’s tenure.Earlier this month, the flag appeared prominently during the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, where rioters violently tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and clashed with police officers. Roman referenced the attempted coup specifically in her email to officers.“I certainly feel the weight of the national and local narratives that dominate the headlines depicting all police as white supremacists – a profoundly disturbing sentiment that seems to have gained wider support following last week’s insurrection at the US Capital during which extremists once again waved thin blue line flags,” Roman said. “We must consider the cost of clinging to a symbol that is undeniably and inextricably linked to actions and beliefs antithetical to UWPD’s values,” she continued. Roman explained that the ban will be part of the department’s “Racial Equity Initiative,” which looks to improve relations and work with communities of color. Last November, Chief Roman originally said the community expressed concerns over the flag’s appearance in police photos on social media. At the time, she condemned the use of the symbol by extremists, adding that she would address public displays of the symbol on a case-by-case basis.The UWPD did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether the recent decision stemmed from additional community feedback.
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