Organizers and volunteers say they pulled a permit and painted what they’re calling America’s First “Back The Blue” street mural in downtown Tampa (spoiler alert: the permit had yet to be approved).
The quality of the work—which runs directly outside the police department, east-to-west on Madison Street in between Franklin Street and Florida Avenue—is, well… beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Like the "Back the Blue" movement, the mural appears to lack the necessary details required to make any sense whatsoever. As commenters have pointed out, does the mural say "Bock The Blub?" or "Bork The Bluf"? No one's really sure.
Organizers obviously wanted to show support for cops as the the largest nationwide civil rights movement of the last half-century unfolds in front of the world’s eyes, but you can’t help but feel like the move is a little tone deaf considering what activists are marching for (police reform after being fed up about living in a country where Black people are killed by law enforcement at disproportionate rates). And don't forget that Black people are born with their skin; being "blue" is a choice.
Even Tulsa, Oklahoma—which almost held Trump’s Juneteenth re-election rally—didn’t let a mural like this happen (although it did paint over its BLM street piece).
We don’t think this is what voters meant when they responded to Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s program to paint “Black Lives Matter” murals around town by saying, “Do Better,” but Creative Loafing Tampa Bay has reached out to Castor’s office—and every city councilman—for comment.
[While you’re here, Tampa City Council is working with the mayor’s office to reform the currently toothless police Citizens Review Board. A lawyer for the police union is already trying to scare the council into saying some of the proposed reform is illegal, but you might want to contact your councilman to tell him how you feel.]
In the meantime, look at some reactions to the masterpiece below. —Ray Roa
P.S. Yes, there’s already a multiple change.org petitions to take it down (one was started by CL contributor and activist-journalist Kelly Benjamin, nonetheless).
