Despite praise from city officials, many critics slam the cruiser’s design as inappropriate and disrespectful.
The Miami Police Department has sparked outrage after unveiling a new police vehicle decorated for Black History Month. While the city’s mayor, Francis Suarez, praised the vehicle as a “beautiful collaboration” to honour African-American history, the public response has been far from positive.
The vehicle features an outline of the African continent, the phrase “Black History Month” on the passenger side, and a red, yellow, and green colour scheme often associated with pan-Africanism. The unveiling, which took place on Friday, was attended by Mayor Suarez and Police Chief Manuel Morales. Suarez described the vehicle as a symbol of collaboration to commemorate Black history.
However, not everyone shares his view. Dwayne David Paul, a writer and educator, voiced his discontent, commenting on the vehicle’s unveiling, “no Black history in schools but on police cars instead… perfectly captures the United States.” Former South Carolina representative Bakari Sellers also expressed his disbelief on Twitter, asking, “who asked for this?!”
The vehicle’s design has been labelled by some as a “mockery.” One critic, Lana Lovehall, stated, “This is so disrespectful… a complete mockery. That’s how bold they’re getting.”
The timing of the vehicle’s release has also drawn ire. Just a week earlier, the release of bodycam footage showing five Memphis Police officers beating Tyre Nichols, a Black man, sparked protests and outrage across the country. Nichols, who died in the hospital three days after the incident, became the latest victim of police brutality, with further disciplinary actions taken against a sixth officer, an EMT, and an ambulance driver involved in the case.
MSNBC legal analyst Charles Coleman Jr. criticised the unveiling, calling it “tone-deaf performative action,” and stating that such moves provoke backlash by attempting to address social issues in superficial ways.
