Photo Credit: Jim Michaud for the Boston Herald
Boston Police Apologize For Black History Month Tweet Honoring White Man
Photo Credit: Jim Michaud for the Boston Herald
The Boston Police Department issued an apology after facing backlash for posting a Black History Month tweet that honored a white man.
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According to a report from Boston.com, on Sunday night the department dedicated a tweet to former Boston Celtics coach and president Red Auerbach, who was the first NBA coach to draft a black player, use an all-black starting lineup, and hire the league's first black head coach.
Although the tweet was up for less than an hour a number of people responded disapprovingly to the post.
"We already have a justice system that erases Black bodies through brutality and incarceration, and now cops are erasing our heroes from the one month NOT about white history. Leave it to a police dept to try and make #BlackHistoryMonth about white men," one user wrote.
\u201cWe already have a justice system that erases Black bodies through brutality and incarceration, and now cops are erasing our heroes from the one month NOT about white history. Leave it to a police dept to try and make #BlackHistoryMonth about white men. https://t.co/WgLBb3qW5w\u201d— Rashad Robinson (@Rashad Robinson) 1518463920
"Y'all should have left the tweet up. I'm sure I'm not the only black person to resign themselves to the fact that Boston, police and all, is a very racist city. As a matter of fact, I appreciate your transparency. Tommy Harper and Bill Russell send their regards," another wrote.
None— Boston Police Dept. (@Boston Police Dept.) 1518412248
The department took down the post with Auerbach shortly after and replaced it with an image of former Celtics coach Bill Russell, who was the first black NBA coach. They also issued the following apology: "BPD realizes that an earlier tweet may have offended some and we apologize for that. Our intentions were never to offend. It has been taken down."
\u201c#ICYMI: In honor of #BlackHistoryMonth we pay tribute to Bill Russell, one of the greatest @celtics of all time and the first African-American head coach in the history of the NBA when he was named @celtics coach on November 15, 1966.\u201d— Boston Police Dept. (@Boston Police Dept.) 1518399966
\u201cBPD realizes that an earlier tweet may have offended some and we apologize for that. Our intentions were never to offend. It has been taken down.\u201d— Boston Police Dept. (@Boston Police Dept.) 1518412248
Following the incident, Boston mayor Marty Walsh condemned the tweet in a statement, writing: "Yesterday's tweet from the Boston Police Department was completely inappropriate and a gross misrepresentation of how we are honoring Black History Month in Boston."
Source: Boston.com