JOHN MINCHILLO/AP
Mayor Bill de Blasio , in light of the recent killings of Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, have urged protesters to pause in their efforts for some time out of respect for the officers’ mourning family & friends.
From the Mayor’s office:
Fellow New Yorkers —
Our city is in pain.
We mourn the murder of New York City Police Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu — heroes who were attacked for the uniform they wore and the badge they carried.
Saturday’s killings were an attack on not just two of our finest men, but an attack on our democracy and our values — an attack on every single New Yorker.
But more than anything else, the murder of Officers Ramos and Liu are tragedies for their families, and I urge all New Yorkers to stand in solidarity with them. These families are now our families and they are suffering unspeakable pain.
There will be a time to return to debates of past weeks. But let me be clear: Now is not that time.
I ask all sides — those who have protested and those who have been vocal against protests — to step back and turn our thoughts to our shared identity as New Yorkers and to honoring the memories of the two fine men we lost.
First and foremost, let us remember our obligation to protect our police just as they protect us. If you hear or see a threat against the NYPD, call 911 and report it immediately.
But let’s also aspire to do more. One member of Officer Ramos’s family called for “peaceful coexistence” in our city. We can and must honor his memory and the memory of Officer Liu by being the best city we can be. Our strength has always been our incredible diversity, and within that diversity a bond that unites us far more than it divides us.
In these challenging times, let us rededicate ourselves to the common values we cherish: respect for all people, the rule of law, and the principle that the best way to move forward is by doing it together.
Thank you,
Bill de Blasio
Mayor
This statement from the Mayor comes after he has recently come under fire from officers and the PBA for what they see as a snub in regards to his support of the protesters first amendment rights, as well as the public recognition (and personal account of) of what many seem to be calling “the talk”, a conversation with children of color and words of caution about dealing with police officers.
Many, including the PBA chief Patrick Lynch, see this recognition as a blatant jab, and have urged police officers to stage protests of their own. Most recently by showing the Mayor their backs at the recent press conference.
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