MA Firefighters Union To Fly 'Thin Blue Line' Flag Around State

HINGHAM, MA — The Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts Union has offered to give a "Thin Blue Line" flag at the center of a Hingham controversy a tour of the state with any fire department or union wanting to fly it before it is presented to the family of late Weymouth Sgt. Michael Chesna.

Union president Rich MacKinnon posted a statement Friday saying the union will offer the flag, which was ordered removed from Hingham fire apparatus because it violated town policy, to be flown on apparatus throughout Massachusetts as a sign of solidarity between fire and police unions at a time when "our Brothers and Sisters in blue have been under unprecedented and seemingly unrelenting attacks."

"The Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, working in unison with the Weymouth police union and Weymouth Fire Local 1616, will pick up the torch initially lit by Hingham Firefighters Local 2398," MacKinnon said. "The Thin Blue Line flag, originally hung by Hingham firefighters in honor of Sgt. Chesna, will be making a tour around Massachusetts to be flown from fire trucks in communities that support public safety."

The Hingham Fire Fighters Local 2398 said the flag was flown on apparatus as a tribute to Chesna on the two-year anniversary of his in-the-line-of-duty shooting death two weeks ago, and that the union decided to keep the flag flying as a tribute to all local police and first responders.

The Hingham Board of Selectmen received a complaint about the flag, however, that it could be considered a political statement in opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement. The Board of Selectmen said it determined the flag should not be on the apparatus since only a select few flags are authorized to be flown on town property — citing the refusal to allow a LGBTQ+"Rainbow" gay pride flag to be flown during Pride Month.

"This was a practice that had been applied in the prior month to the Rainbow flag, with the same result," the Board of Selectmen said in a statement. "No group has more respect for the men and women of the police department than the Board of Selectmen. We demand a commitment to public service combined with high levels of skills and an appreciation of the sensitivity needed to deliver public safety in a challenging environment."

Local Union 2398 said last Friday that, while it did not agree with the decision, it would remove the flags, only to reverse course over the weekend, citing the town's lack of dialogue on the subject and public support to keep flying the flags.

"At this time the Hingham Firefighters of Local 2398 respectfully request the town reconsider their decision to deem these flags as political statements," Melanson posted on Local 2398's Facebook page. "Otherwise, we regret to inform you that over the past four days no member of Local 2398 was able to sacrifice his or her moral fortitude in order to remove the flags from the apparatus. As we said before, our support for our brothers and sisters in blue is unwavering. The flags have continued to fly with honor every day. They will have to be removed by someone other than a member of this union."

The Board of Selectmen released its statement Wednesday stating support for police and fire in the town, but reiterating that the flag was not authorized as one of the five permitted to fly on town property.

The Board of Selectmen also made a plea to stop what it said was harassment of the resident making the complaint.

"In the last week he has received numerous threats against his property and his life," the statement said. "The harassment is ceaseless and vicious. And it has recently expanded to target the welfare and safety of his family. Such conduct debases any attempt at public discourse and makes hypocrites of those who would call for respect for public safety officers while simultaneously threatening the safety of others."

Members of Local 2398, along with Weymouth police and fire union members, removed the flag Thursday morning, saying it was going to be given to the Weymouth Police Department to fly at Weymouth Police Headquarters.

"We were aware of an impending order to remove the flags from the apparatus that would be given to members on duty," the union posted on its Facebook page Thursday. "We did not want to risk the chance of having these flags removed from the trucks in a disrespectful manner. The decision was made to remove the flags on our own terms to provide the highest level of respect that they deserve."

The Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts said any local department or union looking to participate in the statewide effort should contact District 1 Vice President James Brown at DistrictVP@PFFM.org.

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