Safety Harbor Removes Black Lives Matter Signs Week After Posting

SAFETY HARBOR, FL — An attempt by the city of Safety Harbor to show solidarity for its Black residents in the wake of George Floyd's death in the custody of Minneapolis Police has backfired.

After nearly four hours of public comment during a special Safety Harbor City Commission meeting, the commission voted 3-2 to remove two yard signs posted at city hall and the Safety Harbor Library supporting Black Lives Matter a week after the signs were erected.

Many of the national rallies following the May 25 death of Floyd, including a vigil in Safety Harbor, were led by members of the Black Lives Matter. The movement was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman who fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a Black teen in Sanford.

In the wake of Floyd's death, governments, including the city of St. Petersburg and the District of Columbia, have shown their support for the movement by painting "Black Lives Matter" street murals.

It was in that spirit that the Safety Harbor City Commission voted to post two 12- by 18-inch signs that read "Black Lives Matter and Justice For All," after receiving a petition signed by 85 residents.

Lewis Ponds, one of the organizers of the petition drive, told commissioners at its July 20 meeting that the signs would demonstrate the city's support of the movement and condemnation of racism.

Safety Harbor Mayor Joe Ayoub suggested signs with the wording, "Together We Stand" or "Standing in Unity" but Ponds said those sentiments wouldn't have the same impact as the words, "Black Lives Matter."

The commission ultimately agreed to display the "Black Lives Matter and Justice For All" signs for two months. Additionally, the commission voted to create a seven-member diversity advisory board to address the concerns of minority residents.

But the moment the signs were posted, they sparked a controversy that divided the city's 19,000 residents, 4.7 percent of which are Black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The divisiveness of the yard signs intended to be a gesture of support for Safety Harbor's black community came as a surprise to Safety Harbor Mayor Joe Ayoub.

"While I think systemic racism and social justice issues need to be addressed at all levels in government, I think the way we went about it on Monday night was wrong," said Ayoub in a Facebook post after the city received hundreds of calls from residents protesting the signs.

He noted that the commission agreed to post the signs without giving the public an opportunity to weigh in.

"I believe the best way to address these issues is through a process that involves collaboration, discussions, feedback, transparency and citizen involvement," Ayoub said. "The soon-to-be-created diversity board is an ideal way to handle this process and make recommendations to the commission."

At Monday's special meeting, Ayoub reiterated his doubts, saying, “While the intentions of putting those signs up in front of city hall proclaiming black lives matter was good, I think they’re distracting us from our goals."

In response to the commission's announcement to reconsider its decision, resident Tanja Vidovic, who ran for mayor of the city against Ayoub, organized a petition drive in favor of keeping the signs, garnering 397 signatures.

"The mayor is asking the commission to take down the Black Lives Matter (signs), stating the signs are of a political nature," Vidovic said in a letter to the commission. "Black Lives Matter is not a political organization; it has been determined to be a human rights group. Saying it is political is a weak, inaccurate distraction and cowardly. It is lacking the conviction to stand for values we all believe in —equality."

Vidovic said, while campaigning door to door, she spoke to a number of Black residents who felt there was systemic racism in the city.

"People in the Black community said they felt like they were being singled out by police officers. They're pulled over for no reason at all," said Vidovic. "There are racial injustices happening in our own town. We cannot deny or ignore it. We have to stand together as one unified voice. If we ignore it, we are a part of the problem, not the solution."

Residents countered, saying the yard signs were only further dividing the community.

"These concerns need to be taken to the sheriff," said Lisa Kane, responding to Vidovic's comments about racial injustices in Safety Harbor. "A simple sign won't change anything. A sign in front of city hall makes it seem as if Black lives are above other lives. I think everyone agrees that all lives matter, so go where the injustice lies instead of wasting energy on a sign."

"Agree or disagree with the signage, the will of 85 petitioners should not have been imposed on the remaining 19,000 residents of Safety Harbor without some discussion," said resident Jeff Paul.

Ayoub and commissioners Carlos Diaz and Cliff Merz voted to remove the signs with commissioners Nancy Besore and Andy Zodrow dissenting.