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Police officers who wear bulletproof vests while on Jane and Finch are racist

Andrea Horwath, as always, is quick to take an opportunity when she sees it. Her latest twitter comment has left a lot of people speechless.

Conservative minister Michael Tibollo’s comment this morning about wearing a bulletproof vest at Jane and Finch is inexcusably racist. Anyone who would say something so divisive has no credibility to continue to oversee Ontario’s Anti-Racism Directorate.

9:34 AM – 18 Jul 2018

 

Community Safety and Corrections Minister Michael Tibollo, a lawyer and new MPP for Vaughan-Woodbridge, made the remark Wednesday in response to a question from New Democrat Kevin Yarde on whether the Progressive Conservative government will ban carding.

“I want to reassure everyone that the focus of this government is to ensure that safety is paramount in all communities. Personally, I went out to Jane and Finch, put on a bulletproof vest and spent 7 o’clock to 1 o’clock in the morning visiting sites that had previously had bullet-ridden people killed in the middle of the night,” Tibollo told the Legislature.

Toronto police said a vest is standard procedure on tours such as Tibollo’s.

“When police do a ridealong, there is a safety assessment. That assessment takes into account a variety of factors. Since we always err on the side of caution. There is a presumption that the person doing the ridealong will be provided with a vest,” said Mark Pugash, director of corporate communications.

So how is it that wearing a bulletproof vest while on a ride along with the police a racist action?

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath called Tibollo’s vest comment “blatantly racist,” while the Liberals and Greens labelled it “unfortunate,” saying it unfairly reinforces negative stereotypes about an entire neighbourhood.

“It’s one he should apologize for and withdraw immediately,” said Horwath.

“As an African-Canadian, personally I thought it was a racist comment. It was a surprise to hear …. I had to ask the members next to me, did I hear what I actually heard?” Yarde, the NDP MPP for Brampton North, said.

Only NDP can see racism where there is none.

Next time anyone sees a police officer wearing a bulletproof vest around Jane and Finch should consider filing a human rights complaint on race.

And why stop there? Maybe all police officers who are in front line trying to protect themselves and the public should take their vest off because NDP thinks is racist.