Controversial ‘thin blue line’ flag spotted at World Police and Fire Games in Winnipeg

Controversy is brewing after a symbol adopted in recent years by far-right groups was seen at the World Police and Fire Games in Winnipeg.

The “thin blue line” symbol was spotted at the athletic competition featuring law enforcement, firefighters and other emergency responders.

The symbol is widely seen as an “us versus them” mentality within police ranks.

“I think it’s just a far-right hate symbol ultimately, and we think it encapsulates the racism inherent in policing,” said James Wilt of Winnipeg Police Cause Harm.

A member of the police abolitionist group spotted the “thin blue line” flag flying next to a flag promoting the Los Angeles Police Department’s Paddling Pigs – the LAPD’s dragon boat team competing in the World Police and Fire Games.

The photo was taken Saturday when the Paddling Pigs were scheduled to compete.

“Someone just wandered through and noticed the LAPD Paddling Pigs stand – which is their term, not ours – and selling various merch,” said Wilt. “There was obviously a prominent thin blue line U.S. flag, in addition to other people wearing that as a shirt.”

A closer look at the merch stand of the LAPD's "Paddling Pigs"

The price list itself is atop of "thin blue line" imagery. FWIW, the "thin blue line" is banned by the LAPD.

But @ScottGillingham and @HStefansonMB have blown millions in public $$ to BRING THIS RACISM HERE. pic.twitter.com/tL2EJFqYrm

— Winnipeg Police Cause Harm (@WpgPoliceHarm) July 29, 2023

The flag has been a source of controversy in Winnipeg.

In March, Winnipeg city councillor Markus Chambers faced backlash after his tweet offering his condolences for the death of two Edmonton police officers featured an image of the Canadian flag with the thin blue line.

Chambers said at the time he meant no ill will using the imagery and acknowledged the thin blue line had “been construed by some as a white supremacist symbol.”

“We’ve seen more recently in the U.S. its resurgence with Black Lives Matter and the Black liberation struggles, the ‘thin blue line’ has really emerged as a reaction to that, in terms of bolstering police powers,” said Wilt.

The LAPD this year has banned officers from publicly displaying the flag due to what it says is its divisive nature.

CityNews reached out to the LAPD for a response regarding the flag at the World Police and Fire Games but did not immediately hear back.

‘Right to freedom of expression’

Mike Edwards, the chief operating officer for the Winnipeg World Police and Fire games, says the organization will not be policing the flags different teams decide to showcase.

“We are an athletic organization first and foremost,” said Edwards. “We do honour and respect everybody’s right to freedom of expression. So we focus on the athletics and the athletes coming here.

“It is a flag that has a blue stripe on it that is representative of being a proud police officer as there is the same equivalent of a red stripe of being a proud American firefighter.”

For others though, as long as the “thin blue line” flag is seen, it doesn’t bring up pleasant memories.

“We’ve seen it from other teams posted online already,” said Wilt. “I believe it was a New York bike team that was holding the ‘thin blue line’ flag alongside the U.S. flag during the opening ceremonies. So we would just say it’s just absolutely reprehensible and it’s not welcome in Winnipeg.”

CityNews also tried reaching out to the Paddling Pigs team but did not immediately hear back.