Lamar refuses billboard ads with Black Lives Matter content
Statement from members of the Milwaukee Common Council – Alderman Khalif J. Rainey, Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Alderwoman Chantia Lewis, Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II, Alderman Cavalier Johnson, Alderwoman Nikiya Dodd, Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, Alderman Nik Kovac and Alderman José G. Pérez
With Milwaukee playing a prominent role in peaceful protests featuring people from all backgrounds and races, calling for justice for George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, as well as for dozens of other Black and brown people who have been killed by police officers, it is highly disturbing to learn that a local billboard advertiser has rejected socially important ads relevant to the Black Lives Matter movement.
This reported censorship by Lamar Advertising would be disturbing at any time, but especially during a deadly pandemic and a national and global reckoning on systemic racism, social justice and inequality, as well as a push for long overdue police reform to address officer misconduct, targeting, and killing of Black and brown people in police custody and during calls for service.
At this important time, we are asking for an explanation of any policies in place at Lamar to vet which ads are OK and which ones are not. What is the standard in the industry for ads that are deemed too ‘controversial’ to be displayed? Are all of the ads being examined equally, fairly, and with the same criteria, and are they being reviewed free of unconscious bias?
We ask that Lamar kindly do some significant internal review of their ad policies, so potentially socially important billboard messages are not censored because they are deemed ‘too controversial’ or potentially offensive to ‘certain segments of society.’
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
More about the 2020 Racial Justice Protests
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- Supervisor Clancy Applauds Settlement in Clancy vs. City of Milwaukee - Ryan Clancy - Dec 12th, 2023
- Tosa Protest Assails Federal Court Decision Exonerating Police - Isiah Holmes - May 9th, 2023
- Wauwatosa ‘Target List’ Trial Begins - Isiah Holmes - May 3rd, 2023
- Shorewood Spitter Found Guilty For 2020 Protest Confrontation - Jeramey Jannene - Apr 20th, 2023
- City Hall: City Will Pay 2020 George Floyd Protester $270,000 - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 14th, 2023
- Tosa Protest Tickets Dismissed - Isiah Holmes - Jul 21st, 2022
- Op Ed: ‘We Need More’ - Charles Q. Sullivan - Mar 4th, 2022
- Milwaukee Officers Circulate “2020 Riot” Coins? - Isiah Holmes - Nov 14th, 2021
- City Hall: Police Department Tweets Lied To Public - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 27th, 2021
Read more about 2020 Racial Justice Protests here
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