Cops Ignore Commissioner's Plea, Turn Backs to de Blasio at Funeral
On Friday, NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton appealed to the "tradition, honor, and decency" of his force, asking them to refrain from using the funeral of murdered officer Wenjian Liu as a venue for protest. On Sunday, thousands of cops rejected that request, turning their backs to Mayor Bill de Blasio as he spoke at the service.
As photos from the event show, numerous officers turned away from a screen broadcasting the Mayor's eulogy for Liu, although reporters at the scene say "the majority" of the NYPD did not.
Thousands of officers turn their backs as Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at Officer Wenjian Liu's funeral. pic.twitter.com/8NLELidFeZ
— Mike Balsamo (@MikeBalsamo1) January 4, 2015
AGAIN: NYPD Turn Their Backs on De Blasio at Fallen Officer's Funeral [PHOTOS] - http://t.co/MWsCowZess pic.twitter.com/UOfyHLDf6Y
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 4, 2015
#NYPD cops turn their backs on Mayor @BilldeBlasio at Det. Wenjian Liu's funeral, defying @CommissBratton's plea. pic.twitter.com/Kzmex1deSV
— Nicole Fuller (@nicolefuller) January 4, 2015
Last weekend, police staged a similar protest at the funeral of Rafael Ramos, the other officer killed in Brooklyn last month. In his plea, Bratton called that performance an "act of disrespect" that "stole the valor, honor, and attention that rightfully belonged to the memory of Detective Rafael Ramos's life and sacrifice."
According to the Associated Press, Liu's funeral was delayed until Sunday so that relatives could come from China, where he married just two months ago.
"He is my soul mate," said widow Pei Xia Chen. "My hero."
[Image via AP Images]