Residents Have Message Of Their Own In Responding To Police Sign

MELROSE, MA — Kelly and Ali Thome had a message for police and community members who they think just don't get it yet.

Kelly's son, who's Ali's brother, is Black. And he matters, they said.

"I know that my brother has experienced a lot of racism since he came here and I just want to make the town a safer place for him and other people who aren't white and aren't protected because of the color of their skin," Ali Thome said from behind her Black Lives Matter sign Wednesday afternoon.

The Thome girls were among many who were furious, saddened and concerned after a traffic officer inserted "All Lives Matter" found its way into a Main Street traffic sign Wednesday. Some of those people, community leaders and residents alike, brought their own signs to the corner of Franklin and Tremont streets later in the day.

"We're here because it's important to be here when things like All Lives Matter signs go up and the community doesn't understand why that's bad," Kelly Thome said.

Standing across the intersection from the Thomes was a group with cardboard signs carrying the same message.

"I was appalled to hear about the sign that was on Main Street," Andrea Razi-Thomas said alongside her wife, School Committee member Jen Razi-Thomas, their children and some friends. "We rallied the neighbors. We needed to walk down Here and say that's not OK."

Cailin, 10, held a two-sided sign that read "Black Lives Matter" and "Justice For All." Girls younger than her held "BLM" signs tall.

"I thought it was particularly important to come out today when we saw a very intentional statement with city resources from our police department," School Committee member Jen McAndrew said on another corner of the intersection. She was soon joined by City Councilors Jack Eccles and Maya Jamaleddine.

Police Chief Mike Lyle said Wednesday night the sign was put up by a traffic officer who told Lyle he didn't mean anything by it. Lyle said he launched an investigation, the results of which will be made public.

But people think the problem is deeper than just that one officer and one sign.

"All Lives Matter is a dog whistle," Kelly Thome said. "And our police chief attends City Council meetings with a [Thin Blue Line flag] behind him. They are not unaware of what that means. That has meaning and you can't tell me that our police are unaware of what All Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter mean in this day and age in this context. "

Thome indicated the culture in the police department needs to change.

"It may have only been one police officer, but the fact that he felt safe enough to put that sign up says that we have an issue that we need to work on," she said.

You can email Mike Carraggi at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi.