A town council in Connecticut has come under fire for refusing to fly a “Thin Blue Line” flag to honor a state trooper who was killed in the line of duty.
Connecticut State Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier was killed during a traffic stop last week by a hit-and-run driver and Council Member Rich Bailey (R) suggested to the Wethersfield Town Council that the special flag be flown over town hall to honor the fallen officer.
But the mostly Democrat council voted down the move, claiming it would be deemed divisive and racist by some. At Tuesday’s council meeting, all three Republicans on the council voted in favor of the measure. Of the six Democrats on the panel, five voted against, and there was one abstention, according to WTNH News.
Adding insult to injury, the decision was made to fly at half-mast the American flag and the state flag as well as the LGBTQ pride flag, which was being flown for Pride Month.
“All we are doing is trying to respect a fallen police officer,” Bailey told WTNH.
“In my home, [the “thin blue line” flag] means police, and they protect us, and they are our first line of defense,” the Republican and retired fire chief added. “They always are, and they’re always here, and they’re always for us.”
But Democrats on the council disagreed on the flag.
“It represents racism and antagonism to many, many people,” Emily Zambrello told the news station. “And if you don’t personally believe that, and you fly at your own house and you think it means something to you, that is much more positive — it’s just not how many people feel about it.
“It’s not appropriate to raise it over our town hall, especially when our flag policy prohibits us from doing anything associated with hate,” the Democrat added.
Connecticut Town Refuses to Honor Trooper Killed in the Line of Duty with Thin Blue Line Flag, Instead, Flys Pride Flag at Half-Mast as “Honor”
In Wethersfield, Connecticut, Democratic Council woman Emily Zambrello declares that the Thin Blue Line flag will not fly today in… pic.twitter.com/g9jDgEmVSf
— Denn Dunham (@DennD68) June 6, 2024
An alternate first responders’ flag was suggested by Wethersfield Mayor Ken Lesser, a Democrat and member of the council who voted against the Thin Blue Line flag.
“The first responders’ flag recognizes all the first responders — police, fire, emergency management. The ‘blue line’ flag was designed for police officers and it goes back over 100 years, but now it has been used by white supremacists and many police groups have disavowed that flag,” he claimed.
Democrat Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont ordered for flags to be flown at half-staff in memory of Pelletier whose funeral this week was reportedly attended by thousands.
“To my honey, you weren’t just my husband,” his wife Dominique said at the service, according to the New York Post “You were my home. You were my heart. You were my safe place and my provider. My best friend. My secret keeper. My favorite gossiper.”
“The light in our smiles will be forever dimmed and the thought of this world without that laugh seems unimaginable but has already become real,” the mother of two said. “I promise to keep you alive in our home, in our heart and in our boys’ memories forever. I love you, and I miss you.”
“All we are doing is trying to respect a fallen police officer,” Bailey told WTNH.
“In my home, [the “thin blue line” flag] means police, and they protect us, and they are our first line of defense,” the Republican and retired fire chief added. “They always are, and they’re always here, and they’re always for us.”
But Democrats on the council disagreed on the flag.
“It represents racism and antagonism to many, many people,” Emily Zambrello told the news station. “And if you don’t personally believe that, and you fly at your own house and you think it means something to you, that is much more positive — it’s just not how many people feel about it.
“It’s not appropriate to raise it over our town hall, especially when our flag policy prohibits us from doing anything associated with hate,” the Democrat added.
Connecticut Town Refuses to Honor Trooper Killed in the Line of Duty with Thin Blue Line Flag, Instead, Flys Pride Flag at Half-Mast as “Honor”
In Wethersfield, Connecticut, Democratic Council woman Emily Zambrello declares that the Thin Blue Line flag will not fly today in… pic.twitter.com/g9jDgEmVSf
— Denn Dunham (@DennD68) June 6, 2024
An alternate first responders’ flag was suggested by Wethersfield Mayor Ken Lesser, a Democrat and member of the council who voted against the Thin Blue Line flag.
“The first responders’ flag recognizes all the first responders — police, fire, emergency management. The ‘blue line’ flag was designed for police officers and it goes back over 100 years, but now it has been used by white supremacists and many police groups have disavowed that flag,” he claimed.
Democrat Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont ordered for flags to be flown at half-staff in memory of Pelletier whose funeral this week was reportedly attended by thousands.
“To my honey, you weren’t just my husband,” his wife Dominique said at the service, according to the New York Post “You were my home. You were my heart. You were my safe place and my provider. My best friend. My secret keeper. My favorite gossiper.”
“The light in our smiles will be forever dimmed and the thought of this world without that laugh seems unimaginable but has already become real,” the mother of two said. “I promise to keep you alive in our home, in our heart and in our boys’ memories forever. I love you, and I miss you.”