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Miami police union announces security boycott of Beyoncé concert

Published  February 18, 2016 10:23pm CST
Entertainment
FOX 32 Chicago

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - Pop superstar Beyoncé is kicking off a world tour in Miami in a couple months, but she's not getting a warm welcome from police.

The union that represents police officers is calling for a boycott of her shows, and police in Tampa are refusing to work her concert there.

It’s also likely she'll get the same reception when she comes to Chicago this spring, and it's all in response to Beyoncé’s controversial Super Bowl appearance.

Beyoncé fired up the halftime crowd at Super Bowl 50, but now her performance and a new song called "Formation" are putting heat on her new tour.

"I thought it was really outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officers,” said former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The Super Bowl performance featured dancers dressed like Black Panthers, which is the 1960's militant group that some say advocated violence against police.

Beyoncé’s ‘Formation’ music video, set in New Orleans, focuses on police brutality, featuring a wall that reads "stop shooting us." She also appears on top of a sinking police cruiser.

Now, police officers in Tampa appear to be striking back. Not a single officer has signed up to work security at the upcoming Beyoncé concert at Raymond James Stadium.

Typically, off-duty cops moonlight at concerts and games for extra income.

"We live in a society where people are pretty polarized about their politics and they probably have some very strong feelings,” said Steve Hegarty of the Tampa Police Department. "This is a couple months away so we've still got plenty of time to fill those slots."

And in Miami, where Beyoncé kicks off her world tour on April 26th, police have taken it a step further. Miami’s Fraternal Order of Police union has voted to boycott Beyoncé’s show, saying: "That Beyoncé used this year's Super Bowl to divide Americans by promoting the Black Panthers and her antipolice message shows how she does not support law enforcement."

Miami police say they'll be prepared.

"A boycott of volunteers doesn’t mean the event is not gonna be policed," police said.

Beyoncé is scheduled to appear at two concerts at Chicago’s Soldier Field in late May. A police source told FOX 32 it's likely a number of officers will be assigned to work that event outside the stadium to assist with traffic and safety.

Inside, Soldier Field uses a private security company but also frequently offers part time work to off-duty Chicago officers.
      
The head of Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police was unavailable to comment about what may happen here, but a number of Chicago cops have used social media to blast Beyoncé’s Super Bowl performance.