Months after coming under fire over a music video and a halftime show performance at the Super Bowl earlier this year that was labeled by many in the law enforcement community as being "anti-police," singer Beyonce is speaking out.
In rare interview with ELLE magazine, she said that being perceived as being "anti-police" was never her intent.
"I'm an artist and I think the most powerful art is usually misunderstood," she told the magazine. "But anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken."
Police unions in Miami, New York, Dallas and other cities vowed to boycott concert details this summer. Even New York Congressman Peter King and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani called the video for the song Formation "pro-Black Panther and anti-cop" and "outrageous" respectively.
Beyonce attempted to address the controversy in the fashion magazine interview, saying that she is against police brutality, not police officers.
"I have so much admiration and respect for officers and the families of officers who sacrifice themselves to keep us safe," she said. "But let's be clear: I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things. If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me. I'm proud of what we created and I'm proud to be a part of a conversation that is pushing things forward in a positive way.
