Back The Blue Group Causes Stir In Brookfield Parade

BROOKFIELD, IL — The pro-police Back the Blue group took part in Brookfield's July 3 parade, but it did so without permission, the village says.

The group's participation upset at least one person, who contacted the village about it. An official responded with an explanation.

"They entered the parade at some point along the route and were not seen by me until the end of the parade route, where I was located at the MC booth," Stevie Ferrari, the parks and recreation director, said in an email to the woman. "While all volunteers had copies of the parade attendees with contact information, this group managed to bike into the parade without being checked by our volunteer staff once the route was underway."

Ferrari said the village apologizes for any discomfort that Back the Blue's participation caused and that the village tries to make its events enjoyable for all.

"We will remain cognizant of this issue and put efforts in place moving forward to ensure it does not happen again," Ferrari said.

In her email to the village, the woman said she found Back the Blue's participation "extremely disheartening." She said the village should not include the group in the parade.

Patch asked the woman to explain why she was upset about Back the Blue's participation. She said the group started in opposition to the racial justice movement and symbolizes white supremacy.

"Back the Blue and Blue Lives Matter are often used as counterarguments to Black Lives Matter," she said. "The Black Lives Matter movement started because black people are disproportionately killed by police and without consequence. When a black person gets killed by a police officer, that police officer gets placed on paid leave, if that, or it gets covered up. When a police officer gets killed by anyone, that officer has the law behind them and on their side in order to get someone prosecuted and receive justice for their loss of life. It’s not an even playing field. Also, just about every aspect of our country has systematic racism woven into it."

She said she sees the flags with a thin blue line in her neighborhood.

"I assume the majority of people who have this flag feel the flag represents pride in law enforcement, but in reality these flags represent an unwritten code of silence to cover up police misconduct," she said.

Asked whether the village would have rejected a Back the Blue parade entry, Ferrari said a decision on a contentious entry would be made by the Parks and Recreation Commission or the Village Board.

"I don't have a yes or no answer," she said in an interview.

Patch could not find contact information for any nearby Back the Blue groups. A message was left with the moderator of the "Back the Blue Illinois" Facebook page. The moderator pointed out the blue line flag has been around since before Sept. 11. The moderator also posted Patch's inquiry on the Facebook page, and a number of page members responded.

"I'm a Hispanic minority, and I back the blue," one man wrote. "It doesn't represent being racist or a bigot, it represents supporting law enforcement and honoring the brave men and women who put on that uniform every day and kiss their families goodbye, some for the last time."

A woman said, "Not all police officers are white, but the media has fed lies and if you are a sheep you believe all those lies."

Another woman noted that her husband was black and that their mixed race children are seen as black.

"We will still support the police and respect authority," she said. "You can be pro Black Lives Matter and Back the Blue."