Artist paints NYPD vehicle in Pride colours, some suggest anti-cop message

Social media users question the artists message on side of NYPD police vehicle. Photo / Twitter/@NYPDPC

Internet users are questioning the message painted on the side of a New York Police Department vehicle, decorated for Pride Month, suggesting the artist snuck an anti-police acronym message into the design, the New York Post reported.

NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell posted a picture of the vehicle on Twitter covered in a rainbow design for Pride Month

The patrol car featured the phrase “Pride Month” with the phrase “All Colors are Beautiful” underneath.

Happy Pride Month!
 
Over the years, @GOALny has demonstrated unwavering commitment to promoting universal acceptance and inclusion for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Their remarkable contributions to this city and the department defines New York's Finest. pic.twitter.com/kixIY1z3bJ

— Commissioner Sewell (@NYPDPC) June 2, 2023

“Over the years, @GOALny [Gay Officers Action League NY] has demonstrated unwavering commitment to promoting universal acceptance and inclusion for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community,” Sewell’s account wrote Friday. “Their remarkable contributions to this city and the department defines New York’s Finest.”

Social media users were quick to point out that the phrase written under ‘Pride Month’ can be abbreviated to ACAB.

The phrase ‘All Cops are Bastards’ dates back to at least the 1940s but saw a spike in popularity after the horrific 2020 killing of George Floyd.

Minneapolis Police Officers Thomas Lane, left and J. Alexander Kueng, right, escorting George Floyd to a police vehicle. Photo / AP

The NYPD vehicle post was spotted by 10 million viewers with one user questioning “What’s the deal with the ACAB subheading?”

“Lmao ACAB,” another wrote.

The New York Post said a police officer who identifies as gay saw the comments on Twitter. The response was in support, saying it’s no surprise the department failed to catch the anti-police acronym.

“That’s the NYPD,” the police officer said. “’Let’s rush and decorate a car because it’s pride month.’ And now you get someone who puts ACAB on there. What idiots.

“The NYPD pretends to care so much about its LGBTQIA+ members, yet the LGBTQIA+ community is barely offered equal treatment and opportunities as everyone else.

“We barely see any LGBTQIA+ officers receiving discretionary promotions or offered prestigious positions within the NYPD as everyone else. The NYPD every year rushes to decorate precincts and police cars with rainbow flags and colours to show the public that they care for the LGBTQIA+ community but this time it backfired.”