Somerville Police Protest Black Lives Matter Banner at City Hall [PHOTOS]

SOMERVILLE, MA - Area police protested today against Mayor Joe Curtatone's decision to hang a Black Lives Matter banner at Somerville City Hall.

The controversy in Somerville began last week when Somerville Police Union head Michael McGrath wrote a letter to Curtatone asking that Curtatone take down the Black Lives Matter banner that has hung since last August and replace it with one that reads All Lives Matter. In the letter, McGrath called the banner "demoralizing" to Somerville police officers. At today's pro-police rally in front of Somerville City Hall McGrath repeated his demand for the banner to come down in the wake of recent violence against police in Dallas, TX and Baton Rouge, LA.

"Because some elements identified with the Black Lives Matter movement have resorted to killing innocent police officers, [officers] cannot stand for the continued display of that organization's banner on a public building," McGrath said to about 100 supporters and onlookers. "I assure you the rank and file - the working cops in Somerville - do not approve. I'm requesting the mayor take the banner down. I suggest the mayor place a banner reading All Lives Matter as an alternative."

McGrath said local police were initially offended by Black Lives Matter protest chants before recent attacks on officers.

"When they began murdering police officers in cold blood, my officers started asking when are we going to do something about this? The banner implies Somerville Police officers are somehow guilty of racially motivated decision making against minorities when in fact the evidence supports the opposite. Further, the banner is exclusionary. Once police officers began being murdered the banner singles out on group for support and sympathy and became offensive in the face of these new events."

McGrath said "an atmosphere of fear and intimidation in the city and police department" kept some officers from participating in the protests. Black Lives Matter activists held signs supporting Curtatone's decision and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Somerville resident and activist Stephanie Santiago held a sign that read, "It's not that your life doesn't matter, it's that systematically black lives have not!" She said she supported Curtatone's refusal to take the sign down. "This city is made up of a big immigrant and diverse population - we love that and encourage it, so I was happy to see the sign go up and I stand with the mayor and police chief in wanting it to stay up."

Chris Woodward held a sign that read, "I agree with Joe." She said, "All lives matter is code for white lives matter more than anyone else's."

Earlier in the day, Black Lives Matter activists demonstrated outside the Somerville police station. "Somerville Police conducted themselves as utmost professionals. Black Lives Matter were utmost professionals. There was not one arrest, actually there was a lot of constructive dialogue," said Police Chief David Fallon who has said he supports Curtatone's decision to hang the banner.

At a press conference at the end of the day, Curtatone said the day of protests in Somerville ended in unexpected dialogue. He said the demonstration earlier in the day in front of Somerville High School was "heated at times, but an engaged debate. The civilized, positive free speech and conversation today is something we should all be proud of. Eradicating racism and praising law enforcement are not mutually exclusive messages."