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<\/p>\nWhile waiting at a stoplight in Portland, Oregon, a criminal defense attorney noticed a decal on the police cruiser in front of her.<\/p>\n
After taking a closer look, she warned the city about a potential lawsuit for allowing the \u201cterrifying\u201d window sticker.<\/p>\n
Self-described criminal defense and appellate attorney Lindsey Burrows was in her vehicle when she spotted a Portland Police SUV just ahead of her at a stoplight. When she noticed an odd window sticker in the vehicle\u2019s back window, she quickly snapped a picture that has since sparked a legal storm.<\/p>\n
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Portland attorney Lindsey Burrows (right) warns that a sticker on a police vehicle could spark a major lawsuit. (Photo Credit: Twitter)<\/p>\n
For many activists, Portland has become a hub for protesting and social movements, including the demand for the dismantling of law enforcement. Of course, while protesting perceived systematic bias in the justice system, many have turned their focus and outrage toward what they purport to be symbols of racism rather than inarguable acts of racial injustice.<\/p>\n
Burrows posted a photo of a patrol vehicle from the back, which displays a small \u201cthin blue line\u201d flag sticker in the shape of the state of Oregon. While posting the image to Twitter, Burrows expressed her outrage and claimed that the city could soon see a costly lawsuit over the decal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is unacceptable,\u201d Burrows wrote. \u201cIs the person driving this car going to be conducting traffic\/pedestrian stops?! Terrifying. Also didn\u2019t the county just settle a $100k lawsuit over this bs? The city is next, I guess\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Within hours, her post garnered the attention of the media, which appeared to do some of the legal work for Burrows. According to The Oregonian, the sticker is a violation of city policy on \u201cprivate decals or markings,\u201d which are prohibited from being displayed on city vehicles.<\/p>\n
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The photo captures a \u201cthin blue line\u201d sticker on the back window of a Portland Police SUV. (Photo Credit: Twitter)<\/p>\n
The media have propagated that the \u201cthin blue line\u201d is fundamentally racist and only surfaced with the recent pro-law enforcement movement. However, the symbol has been popular with officers since the 1950s and has served to express support for police and their sacrifices. Still, media figures and activists like Burrows have inarguably labeled the sign a hate symbol, demanding it be removed from the public eye.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt concerned me that Portland Police would display this symbol without (or despite?) recognizing that the symbol had been used in opposition to the #blacklivesmatter movement and by white supremacists,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Portland Police Lt. Tina Jones soon became aware of the tweet and responded to the outcry. Although she didn\u2019t say if the department had opened an investigation, she confirmed that the decal, if placed on the vehicle by an officer, would be a \u201cminor policy violation\u201d warranting of disciplinary action.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur vehicles are shared and at this time it is uncertain when it was placed on the vehicle and by whom,\u201d Jones said in an email to The Oregonian\/OregonLive.<\/p>\n
In Burrows\u2019 tweet, she references a \u201c$100k lawsuit,\u201d which was paid out to a black Multnomah County employee. The case concerned Karimah Guion-Pledgure, who successfully claimed that the county had fostered a racially hostile workplace by allowing colleagues to hand up the Blue Lives Matter flag. Guion-Pledgure also alleged that coworkers harassed her after she complained.<\/p>\n
Burrows suggests that the city of Portland could face the same type of lawsuit if the incident isn\u2019t handled properly. According to her tweet, dozens of citizens agree with her conclusion that the decal holds racial symbolism and shouldn\u2019t be allowed.<\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/em.republikalajm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/lindseyburrowsportlandpolicethinblueline-640x411-1-300x193-1.jpg\")
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Lindsey Burrows (right) insists that the symbol is racist against black civilians. (Photo Credit: Twitter)<\/p>\n
Burrows\u2019 complaint isn\u2019t uncommon, as more activists come forward with similar instances to purport that law enforcement officers harbor racial biases. Of course, the \u201cthin blue line\u201d is just one of many patrol vehicle stickers that have caused a backlash, which includes the American flag and the \u201cIn God We Trust\u201d motto.<\/p>\n
For now, the police department is looking into the issue and will deal with the perpetrator of the sticker accordingly. However, it surely won\u2019t be the last complaint from the anti-police crowd when it comes to accusing officers of inherent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While waiting at a stoplight in Portland, Oregon, a criminal defense attorney noticed a decal on the police cruiser in front of her. After taking a closer… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1360,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n