Wisconsin County Strips Non-Profit’s Funding Over “Black Lives Matter” Signs
Wisconsin county cuts funding for Embrace, an advocacy group for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence, after "Black Lives Matter" signs were displayed on its property. WEAU's Maria Blough reports.
(NBC News) — An advocacy group for survivors of domestic and sexual violence says it’s facing backlash after releasing a statement supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
As the Black Lives Matter movement spread across the country this summer, the Northwest Wisconsin non-profit Embrace put up signs of support.
A few weeks later, Embrace’s Executive Director Katie Bement says there were complaints about the small displays.
“We knew there was push back from the Black Lives Matter sign, and we had started hearing messages or misinterpretations of Black Lives Matter, so we ended up releasing this statement in late September to help correct some of those misconceptions we were hearing,” Bement said.
The statement read in part: “Embrace adds their voices affirming the humanity and dignity of Black, Indigenous, People of Color.”
It continues to say “Racism, police violence, sexual violence and domestic violence all have the same root causes, and they interact and compound on each other both in society and within the survivors we serve.”
Once the statement was released, the Barron County Sheriff’s Department ended its relationship with the domestic violence support group.
Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald cited Embrace’s support of Black Lives Matter as the reason.
Read more here.
