A criminal defense attorney in Portland, Oregon, named Lindsey Burrows noticed a "thin blue line" flag sticker on a police cruiser while waiting at a stoplight. She took a picture and posted it on Twitter, expressing outrage and warning that the city could face a lawsuit over the decal. The media picked up the story, highlighting that the sticker violated city policy on private decals or markings on city vehicles. The "thin blue line" symbol has been popular among police officers since the 1950s as a show of support for law enforcement, but it has been labeled as a hate symbol by activists and some media figures. Burrows and others argue that the symbol has been used in opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement and by white supremacists. Portland Police Lt. Tina Jones responded to the outcry, stating that if the decal was placed on the vehicle by an officer, it would be a minor policy violation warranting disciplinary action. Burrows referenced a previous $100k lawsuit in which a black employee successfully claimed that the county fostered a racially hostile workplace by allowing colleagues to display the Blue Lives Matter flag. Burrows suggests that Portland could face a similar lawsuit if the issue is not handled properly. The police department investigating the matter and will take appropriate action against the person responsible for the sticker. This incident is part of a larger trend where activists accuse law enforcement officers of racial biases based on various symbols displayed on patrol vehicles, including the American flag and the "In God We Trust" motto.
