While a controversial anti-police slogan in a city-funded mural might build solidarity within communities interested in police reform, it鈥檚 probably not the best message if the goal is constructive dialogue with local officers, says a University of Victoria philosophy professor.
The city was alerted last week to the presence of the term ACAB, which stands for All Cops Are Bastards/Bad, in a Bastion Square mural painted on Aug. 14. A joint effort of 17 artists, the mural is intended to raise awareness of the injustices suffered by Black and Indigenous people and other people of colour.
The ACAB term has a long history, and has been used recently by groups calling for reform in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Colin Macleod, UVic鈥檚 philosophy department chair, said looking through the lens of freedom of artistic expression, it鈥檚 acceptable for artists to do work that is provocative and 鈥減robably literally false.鈥�
鈥淭hose forms of artistic expression can play a vital role in generating solidarity amongst communities who feel that their voices haven鈥檛 been heard adequately,鈥� he said.
At the same time, if the goal is to create meaningful dialogue with police, including the term is likely to be an obstacle to productive conversations, he said.
鈥淚nsistence on that slogan is probably going to be counterproductive, probably because the powerful people 鈥� the powers that be 鈥� are going to focus on it and say: 鈥楤ut it鈥檚 not true. We鈥檙e not all bastards,鈥� 鈥� Macleod said.
Rather than fixating on the slogan, Macleod suggested both police and artists focus on common ground 鈥� a desire for a more just society for people of colour.
Those on both sides will need to fight the urge to dig in their heels if they鈥檙e going to have respectful conversations with people with whom they disagree, he said.
鈥淏ut it can be extremely difficult when you are concerned about the very justice of the structures in which you鈥檙e operating.鈥�
The mural was sponsored by the African Heritage Association of 91原创 Island, which said in a statement that it does not condone the 鈥渙ffensive鈥� acronym, but acknowledged that it has fueled important conversations.
鈥淭he mural itself is impactful and whatever the outcome, we are glad that the mural will inspire, teach, provoke conversations and contribute to ongoing dialogue about systemic racism,鈥� the association said.
Victoria Police Chief Del Manak, however, referred to the term ACAB as 鈥渉ate speech鈥� that goes against the spirit of the mural.
鈥淥ur police department is made up of human beings. It鈥檚 made up of people of colour. It鈥檚 made up of Indigenous people. It鈥檚 made up of officers that represented the LGBTQ2S+ community, and many other communities. So when you are making a comment like that, I just think it鈥檚 ignorant,鈥� he said in an interview.
Manak said that as a police chief who is also South Asian, he鈥檚 in a unique position, because he has lived experience with racism.
鈥淚 am a person of colour before and after my policing career. And I still am when I take my uniform off and I go home. So I actually do understand racism, injustice, and how we need to be better in looking at our systems,鈥� he said.
Manak said the department can always improve, but he has concerns about being unfairly compared to police departments in the United States, which he called 鈥渓iterally worlds apart,鈥� citing differences between America鈥檚 constitution and Canada鈥檚 Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the level of police oversight between the two countries, and a 91原创 framework designed to guide officers in appropriate use of force and hold them accountable when they stray.
He said there is or has been racism in every system in Canada, and it鈥檚 up to leaders like himself to look at policies and practices to identify barriers for people of colour. And, as the first Victoria police chief of colour in the department鈥檚 162-year history, he said he has a plan that guides how he leads to ensure his officers recognize their implicit biases, are inclusive thinkers and embrace diversity.
The group responsible for painting the mural probably isn鈥檛 aware of the work he is doing to strengthen connections in Victoria, he said.
In addition to engaging with leaders in different communities, Manak said he has participated in online seminars about developing anti-racism skills and addressing racism in organizations. After Floyd was killed in late May, Manak called for the creation of a subcommittee on anti-racism and relationship building within the Greater Victoria Police Diversity Advisory Committee.
鈥淚鈥檓 doing them because I want to make our police organization inclusive and connected to our communities, and I鈥檓 taking those steps to do that,鈥� he said.
He said he likes the mural and supports its message of 鈥渕ore justice, more peace,鈥� but he doesn鈥檛 believe the 鈥渄ivisive鈥� acronym belongs in the artwork.
Westshore RCMP Insp. Todd Preston offered support to Manak following the statement he released last week calling for inclusion. Preston called the language 鈥渉ate,鈥� and said it is not the way to create a more inclusive community.
鈥淚f we want a safer community, we must have meaningful dialogue inclusive of all people and groups in our society, including those wearing a uniform,鈥� he said in a statement released on social media.
Victoria Coun. Sharmarke Dubow took to social media to respond to Manak鈥檚 statement, saying the chief missed the mark in calling for inclusion, instead of addressing the injustices that exist.
鈥淔or the police to evoke inclusion in this way is really to decontextualize and depoliticize what it is really about 鈥� systemic racism,鈥� he wrote on Twitter.
Dubow said the artists were using their talents to address systemic exclusion, and police could have used the situation as an opportunity to understand why some in the community feel the term is valid.
Dubow also said the acronym does not mean every officer is bad, but that police are complicit in an unjust system.
Another city councillor has been clear that she wants the term removed, however. Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe posted to her Facebook page to express her disappointment that the acronym is still in the mural.
鈥淚鈥檓 not OK with it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it doesn鈥檛 constitute art to me and it bothers me that we provided a $4,500 grant for this and the fact that the original concept didn鈥檛 have those letters in it. So I feel that the letters should be removed. I鈥檓 still supportive of the actual mural, but those letters I think should be removed.鈥�
City spokesman Bill Eisenhauer said the city plans to meet with the heritage association and the mural artists to discuss the acronym.
The lead organizer of the mural could not be reached for comment.
鈥� With a file from Lindsay Kines and The 91原创 Press