Bloomington leaders, residents urge denouncement of hate flyers and defend police community engagement unit

Dozens of residents told the Bloomington City Council on Aug. 25 that the city must publicly denounce flyers and symbols they said promote hate and confirm support for the Bloomington Police DepartmentCommunity Engagement Unit. Mike Matika, representing Not In Our Town, said a flyer that circulated last week used an image he described as offensive and urged residents and leaders to sign the Not In Our Town pledge. "This is not the spirit of our community," Matika said. "We come together as a community to stop hate, address bullying, and build a safe and diverse community."

The concern intensified after city leaders and local media reported the Bloomington Police Department was asked not to participate in a recent immigration-education event at Wesley United Methodist Church. Jill Blair, a Bloomington resident, said in public comment that the Illinois Trust Act (2017) generally prohibits local participation in federal immigration enforcement and that local policing presence helps reassure immigrant residents who often underreport crimes. "If we want Bloomington to continue to…