A large crowd marched in Houston to show support for Deputy Darren Goforth who was shot and killed at a gas station. The group wore shirts reading “Police Lives Matter” on the front.
Greg Abbott, the Governor of the state of Texas, plans to honor law enforcement officials with a proclamation that “Police Lives Matter,” on Saturday.
Governor Abbott announced his intention to salute police officers in a Twitter message on Friday.
Abbott’s announcement comes less than a week after residents of the city of Houston held a rally and held signs with that same slogan honoring police.
The rally was in honor of Darren Goforth, a Harris County Sheriff’s deputy that was killed last month while filling up his gas tank.
According to International Business Times, the proclamation, which is signed by the governor and stamped with the official state seal, is likely to raise eyebrows among Black Lives Matter activists.
The Black Lives Matter movement, which was sparked by police-involved deaths of several unarmed black men over the last year, has met resistance from conservatives and law enforcement groups.
Abbot has been critical of the BLM movement in the past, and he echoed the sentiments of Houston law enforcement officials who blamed the anti-police rhetoric for the death of officer Goforth.
In a September 4 interview with Fox News, Governor Abbott said, “We are seeing Texans come together and say, ‘Enough is enough’ when it comes to the attack on law enforcement in this state and in this nation.” He also added that “Americans are coming together because we know the vital role law enforcement plays in keeping America safe, and it’s time to honor those who serve.”
Governor Abbott’s proclamation is dated September 19, 2015. It states that “Texas reveres the men and women in law enforcement who put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve their communities.”
Abbott’s proclamation also said, “It is time to unite in solidarity to support these brave individuals who serve and protect our communities. I ask that Texas lift up the cause for unity and remember the essential role that law enforcement plays in keeping Texas safe and strong.”
It is unclear if Governor Abbott plans to make the date Police Lives Matter Day or if he has something else in mind.
