January 9 is designated National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day in the U.S. The holiday tended on Twitter today.
While politicians and law enforcement agencies shared their thanks online with the hashtag #EnforcementAppreciationDay, other Twitter users flooded the tag to discuss police brutality and accountability.
“Happy law enforcement appreciation day!” activist Bree Newsome Bass said in a quote tweet about the arrest of a Black journalist. Police arrested Wall Street Journal reporter Dion Rabouin in November outside a bank in Phoenix, Ariz. Rabouin was interviewing customers.
Happy law enforcement appreciation day! https://t.co/4C7ncj7fwS
— Bree Newsome Bass (@BreeNewsome) January 9, 2023
While some Twitter users posted photos of family members in law enforcement, many others posted statistics about police brutality and corruption. Others noted the link between law enforcement and white supremacy through memes.
#LawEnforcementAppreciationDay ???? pic.twitter.com/pUzsiNrKlX
— Ancommie????????️???? (@Ancommiey) January 9, 2023
Some Republicans in Congress also posted the hashtag to express support for law enforcement. Congressmen like Andy Harris of Maryland and Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana both tweeted their thanks.
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Others used #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay to point out hypocrisy among Republicans tweeting accolades: Only one Republican lawmaker attended a ceremony commemorating the second anniversary of the January 6th insurrection.
On #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay don't let Republicans get away with lip service.
This is how they Back the Blue. pic.twitter.com/MaisLpLXoN
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) January 9, 2023
The riot at the Capitol resulted in the death of one Capitol Police officer. Four more died by suicide in the months after the attack.
Police officers killed over 1,180 people in 2022, according to Mapping Police Violence.
