Activists target Jersey City mayor for denouncing ‘f**** the pigs’ chant at rally
JERSEY CITY — An anti-police march on Saturday drew the outrage of Mayor Steven Fulop because protestors were chanting "f*** the pigs."
The rally in support of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old man killed by a Minnesota police officer when she mistakenly grabbed her firearm instead of a Taser, was organized by the group Black Men United in Berry Lane Park.
"I’ll be the first to say that civil demonstrations, criticism, & protests are welcome here in Jersey City, our nation's history has proven it’s produced changes in government. But what we can't support is inflammatory + infectious rhetoric which only further divides us like this," Fulop said on his Twitter account.
His comments did not sit well with the group or those who responded to Fulop's message.
"Next time we’ll scream ‘F*** Fulop!’ too. #OffThePigs," the group said in response.
One retweet by @DuquanneSweeney mentioned a police involved shooting in September for which there has not been a report issued: "Instead of voicing your disapproval of "F**k the pigs" chant, you should tried to understand the reasons why the chant exist."
The Jersey City Police Benevolent Association backed Fulop's and said that hateful language makes policing more difficult.
"We remain committed to engaging in productive dialogue and advancing efforts that keep our members, and the residents we serve, safe," union President Carmine Disbrow said.
Despite calls for defunding police since the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020, the Jersey City City Council adopted a budget with no reduction in municipal services.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ