Thin Blue Line flag debate takes spotlight in Livermore meeting

A number of community members turned out virtually to the Livermore City Council meeting Monday to bring attention to a social media-fueled controversy that came to light over the weekend in online circles in Livermore and beyond.

Prior to the council meeting, then-Mayor-elect Bob Woerner and Councilwoman Trish Munro distributed a written statement through the city to publicly address an article circulated on social media by pro-police website Law Enforcement Today about notes from a Nov. 17 Livermore Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee working group meeting that were posted on the city’s website.

The story suggested that the city group was debating whether the Thin Blue Line flag — which is used to express support for law enforcement, but is considered by others as a symbol of intimidation — should be labeled as a symbol of hate. But the city leaders said in their written statement Sunday that those prior meeting notes were “taken badly out of context” by the Law Enforcement Today article.

During Monday’s regular council meeting, a number of residents spoke about the issue during non-agenda public comments. Some defended the efforts of the Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee and subsequent working group, while others condemned them and called for the group to be disbanded.

“I am a huge supporter of the Equity and Inclusion working group and their desire to help create a better, more inclusive Livermore for all people, races, genders, sexualities, abilities and religions,” Emily Wilson, a community advocate and co-founder of Tri-Valley for Black Lives, stated in the public comments.

“With what has transpired this weekend, I became aware of the need for more clear communication between the city and its constituents. Misinformation spreads fast and it was difficult to ‘put out the fire’ when there wasn’t a clear response to the issue,” Wilson continued, adding that the subcommittee meeting notes were taken out of context, resulting in the intent behind the Equity and Inclusion group’s work getting lost in the fray.

Others did not share Wilson’s perspective.

“I’m here for the sole purpose of conveying my extreme displeasure at the intent and activities associated with the community wide assessment and action project,” resident Ron Blair wrote. “This is one of the poorest attempts at exploring the state of inclusivity in our community that I could have ever conceived. What a waste of time, money, effort and focus, especially considering the examples of non-inclusive symbols explored during the brainstorming session.”

Jackie Faith echoed similar sentiments, referring to the Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee as the “committee of inequity and outcasts.”

“Too many people, especially our youth, don’t even have a clue as to what it is to live under a totalitarian regime; however, in the last few days we’ve been given a taste of what it is like when we were notified that our city council and its newest committee has an agenda of creating an environment of division by their desire to identify symbols, artwork, objects, artifacts, etc. in Livermore that represent and signify systemic racism as well as symbols, etc. that signify equity and inclusion, according to their opinions,” Faith said.

She added that free speech and free thought and expression in Livermore are now subject to the “thought police,” followed by references to the working group’s Nov. 17 meeting notes.

The topic was not an agendized item Monday, so council members said they could not address the issue at length because of Brown Act provisions; however, they acknowledged some concerns brought up in the public comments in an effort to halt the spread of misinformation.

One commenter who identified themselves as Liz M. asked in the Zoom Q&A section, “Are you seriously considering the removal of the totem pole and the statue of the three children? These are not racist.” The comment referred to the Centennial Park Totem Pole located at the corner of Holmes Street and Fourth Street and the “Circle of Peace” sculpture depicting three children holding hands in a circle located in Hansen Park where First Street meets Holmes Street.

At this point in the meeting, John Marchand was still sitting as mayor and responded live to the question. “We are not considering removing the totem pole, we’re not removing the statue of the three children and the city has not decided to do anything at this point,” he said. This is merely an exercise to begin a community conversation. So, with that — just to put everyone’s minds at ease — we’re not taking out the totem pole, we’re not removing the circle of children.”

After closing public comment, Marchand added, “Everybody here that would normally be sitting at the dais, has sworn to uphold the Constitution of the State of California and the Constitution of the United States that includes the Bill of Rights which includes the freedom of expression and freedom of speech — we’ve all sworn to uphold that — and that is something that overrides everything.”

Woerner also addressed the issue, saying that he was “saddened by how things have been interpreted.”

“We do have the Brown Act and so, the council can’t get into this topic now, but I want to say that I know I have — and I’m very sure everybody on the council has — heard the uproar. And I think that what we need to do is put this on a future council meeting agenda very quickly so that the community can see for themselves what the council actually says for themselves rather than what’s being spun out there in social media as to what we think.”

Councilwoman Trish Munro also added clarification that the city will not be creating a database of residents’ addresses who have Thin Blue Line flags on their private property.

The topic was brought up in public comment again during the second half of the meeting after Woerner, new Councilwoman Brittni Kiick and returning Councilman Bob Carling took their oaths of office. Among the commenters were Wilson, who resubmitted her statement from the first meeting, and Faith, who provided an additional comment in which she called the Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee an “indoctrinated, marxist group” and demanded that it be “disbanded immediately.”

Hayden Sidun, a member of the Equity and Inclusion working group shared a brief comment in response to Faith’s condemnation of their efforts. “The Equity and Inclusion working group is working to eliminate racism within Livermore — I didn’t know anti-racism is a marxist ideology — but we’re working to end that and we want to make this a more inclusive and welcoming city for everyone.”

A complete recording of the meeting is available here.