The controversy following the flag started years back.īut one of the most significant representations that backed up many people’s opinion of the flag and what it stands for was the fact that people flew it at the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. In recent times, many citizens believe it has become a symbol of white supremacy. It is simply in support of law enforcement. When a police supporter has the thin blue line flag, it signifies that they recognize and respect the effort the police officers put into their work. So, every time a police officer has the thin blue line flag on them, it signifies their acceptance and pride in their job. Members of law enforcement say it stands for solidarity and pride in a risky and professionally demanding job. The things the flag signified began to change as time went on. How Did The Thin Blue Line Flag Become So Controversial? Over the years, it has gotten added to different items, like facemasks, clothing items, and different forms of design. The Thin blue line flag is sometimes displayed alone or with the American flag. Where Is The Flag With The Blue Stripe Displayed? The term gained popularity and thrived for a long time, until people started to gradually distrusting the police, including what they stand for on the issues of racism. It was common amongst police officers, police supporters, movies, books, and newspapers to talk about the police. In the 70s, the term moved from something used once to a regularly used term in the different police departments in the United States.

It was even the name of a television show produced by the police department.īill Parker, Los Angeles police chief, explained that the term was the thin line between law and order and political and social anarchy. But there are notable moments when a dignitary or leader used it to refer to police officers.įor example, in 1922, Richard Enright used the phrase when he was a police commissioner. There is no recorded date of the first time the term got used for police officers. This poem was popular in the military between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It was adapted from “The Thin red line” and the fact that the uniform of the US army was blue in the eighteenth century. This poem, published in 1911, was about the US Army. The first recorded use of the term “Thin blue line” was in Mel Anderson’s poem titled The Thin blue line. The term spread its reach into other professions-for example, A Thin white line of Bishops. The term “Thin red line” is currently in use for firefighters.

You would find paintings of the battle in many art museums. The battle got heavy publicity, and it became a muse for many artists. This battle is one of the most talked-about battles of the Crimean war. In this battle, a Russian Cavalry charge had to face the unyielding Scottish highlanders. The widely used term originated from the “Thin red line.” The Thin Line is a formation of a regiment of the British army in the 1854 Battle of Balaclava. The term “the thin blue” came before the flag. The American flag with the blue stripe is known as the “Thin blue line” flag. Please read on: What Is The History Of The American Flag With The Blue Stripe This post contains useful information on this topic. The blue represents the blue color of the police uniform. So, to some people, it is a representation of police solidarity, while to others, it is a representation of the support of white supremacy and police brutality.

The American flag with the blue stripe represents support for law enforcement but has come to represent the opposition of racial justice over time. What does the American flag with the blue stripe mean? So, let’s find the mystery answer to this question. People can’t seem to agree on what it signifies. However, one thing that has consistently appeared during protests is the American flag that boasts the blue stripe.īut the flag, which is usually black and white with one blue stripe, has raised many eyebrows. In the past years, protests over police brutality and racial profiling by police officers have been on the rise.

American flag with red stripe meaning