Los Angeles community activists called for the firing of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) employees, Monday, after they allegedly shared a Valentine’s Day social media post this weekend depicting George Floyd and the words “You take my breath away.”

The post was reported by a person within the department, whose unit was not disclosed, and LAPD is currently conducting an investigation.

“The Department has become aware of allegations that an image was being passed around the department and this image was in the workplace,” LAPD said in a statement. “There are also allegations that the post with the image was authored by a department employee.”

LAPD said it has not seen the Valentine post mocking Floyd, nor does it know who shared it, but department employees will be interviewed, including the person who reported it.

“The department will have zero tolerance for this type of behavior,” the statement added.

Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón addressed the allegations saying the D.A.’s office will be “looking into this matter to determine if the integrity of any of our cases may have been compromised by biased police work.”

Gascón added that if the allegation are true, those involved “have no place in law enforcement.”

Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Floyd family in the case against Minneapolis police, said on Twitter Sunday, “THIS is the type of policing culture that contributes to the disregard for Black life that we see so often! This is why we NEED change!”

Community activists from Project Islamic Hope and the San Pedro Good Trouble Brigade gave a press conference Monday, saying they would be meeting with LAPD Chief Michel Moore this week, and commended LAPD Harbor Patrol Division Capt. Jay Mastick for “speaking out against what happened.”

“I was stunned because George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer last May stunned the whole world,” activist Najee Ali said in the press conference. “So for an LAPD employee to suddenly make a mockery, to make a joke of this man’s murder is outrageous, but is also painful.”

 

During the press conference, Ali added that they are not looking to attack LAPD, but want accountability.

“There’s no reason for any LAPD employee to mock the death of any man,” Ali said. “This is not a black or white issue, this is a right or wrong issue.”

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