Things got ugly at a Memphis city hall meeting Tuesday when a group of BLM activists hurled racial slurs at citizens concerned about crime.
The city council meeting drew a massive crowd as council members reviewed six police reform ordinances following the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols by five Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers.
Click here to download the FREE KWAM App to stay up to date on breaking news across Memphis and the Mid-South.Proponents of ordinances believe that there is a culture of racism within the MPD, some were even calling for the entire department to be abolished.
On the other side, pro-police citizens worry that passing the measures will add more red tape to policing, which could hinder recruiting and retention. And with the already massive police shortage in the city, it will lead to even more crime.
City hall is packed with citizens on both sides of the aisle as the #Memphis city council reviews police reform ordinances. One side is demanding more police officers, the other is calling for change in police culture. pic.twitter.com/YnMV50kVDl
— Ben Deeter (@benpdeeter) March 7, 2023
Missy Rainer, the aunt of the Rhodes College student shot and killed during a home invasion last year, pleaded with the council to hire more officers.
Following her emotional remarks, one radical activist said they don’t care about “white tears.”
“I’m not going to bow down to the fears of white people that don’t have to worry about the same things I have to worry about when I’m being pulled over by police,” the activist yelled, while pointing to white community members behind her. “I’m not gonna sit up hear and listen to their white tears and their ignorance.”Social media users were quick to condemn the blatant racist attacks.
“Ridiculous! If that had been a white person saying that crap, y’all would be trying to ruin their lives,” one person wrote on KWAM’s Stop Memphis Crime page.
“If racist had a face,” wrote another.
One far-left activist called the white citizens “Blue Lives Matter Bootlicker Karens.”
KWAM station owner Todd Starnes blasted the activist, writing “Black citizens are literally verbally attacking white citizens because of the color of their skin at the Memphis City Council.”
Black citizens are literally verbally attacking white citizens because of the color of their skin at the Memphis City Council. #Memphis @Mighty990KWAM pic.twitter.com/EMZxSqfAYI
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) March 7, 2023
CLICK HERE to join KWAM’s “Stop Memphis Crime” page. Follow our army of citizen journalists as they report crime news across the city.
KWAM’s Ben Deeter contributed to this report.
