Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery) backed Elrich's move, writing on Twitter: 'This is not the American flag. 'Under my administration, we are committed to improving police relations with the community and will immediately address any action that stands against our mission.'Įlrich's decision drew decidedly mixed responses from the public. 'The flag provides a symbol of support to some but it is a symbol of dismissiveness to others,' he said in a statement.

Two days after police announced the flag would be displayed on station property, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said the flag would not be on view to the public. The flag has been used in association with the Blue Lives Matter movement, a pro-police group formed in response to Black Lives Matter and its protests against police violence toward black people. The announcement prompted immediate pushback from residents who said the flag excuses police violence against black residents, and who pointed out that the flag was seen alongside Confederate flags at the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville in 2017. Montgomery County Department of Police October 30, 2019 The flag will be displayed in the 5th District Station. Thank you to resident James Shelton, who presented Montgomery County 5th District officers with a wooden American Flag that he had made in recognition of National First Responders Day. Montgomery County police said on Twitter last week that the flag, donated by James Shelton, would be displayed in the 5th District station.

The flag, which shows a thin blue stripe in place of one of the flag's standard 13 red stripes, is meant to show support for law enforcement - but the 'thin blue line' flag also has been associated, at times, with white nationalists. The controversy comes after a local man and his son donated a handmade wooden American flag to a Germantown police station last week to recognize National First Responders Day. The flag, pictured as a billboard along US Route 10 in Dilworth, Minn., has been used in association with the Blue Lives Matter movement, a pro-police group formed in response to Black Lives Matter and its protests against police violence toward black people.ĭispute is growing over the display of a 'thin blue line' flag in Montgomery County this week after county officials said the flag would not be placed in any public space at the police department.

Blue and black flag