A New York City teacher has been fired after suggesting officers flooding the streets during the funeral of fallen NYPD Detective Jason Rivera could be the target of “reciprocity” for an incident in 2020 involving an NYPD SUV and Black Lives Matter protesters.
Chris Flanigan, a teacher at Coney Island Prep, was terminated over a since-deleted Instagram post mentioning the date when a police SUV drove into a crowd of protesters. His post suggested that the crowds of police gathered to honor their fallen colleague could be “ideal conditions for reciprocity.”
Flanigan captioned the image of officers showing support during Rivera’s funeral with the following: “5/30/20: NYPD SUV drives into a crowd of protestors. Ideal conditions for reciprocity.”
“We do not condone or promote violence of any sort. As of this afternoon, Mr. Flanigan is no longer employed at Coney Island Prep,” CEO Leslie-Bernard Joseph said in a statement to the New York Post.
Detective Rivera was shot in the head while he and his partner, Officer Wilbert Mora, were responding to a domestic violence call. Mora died several days later.
Brooklyn teacher calls for ‘reciprocity’ against cops gathered to mourn slain detective https://t.co/Kpavmf4IsV pic.twitter.com/oHZ347bEBk
— New York Post (@nypost) February 1, 2022
RELATED: Widow Of Fallen NYPD Detective Jason Rivera Blasts Soft-on-Crime DA Amid Surge In Attacks On Police
Teacher Fired For Threat of Violence
The teacher fired for suggesting violence against police officers in NYC insists that his words were simply “misconstrued.”
“I respect the NYPD. I do not condone violence,” he insisted according to the Post. “A 22-year-old police officer murdered in the line of duty is reprehensible. I’m devastated by that.”
After the incident in which Flanigan suggests “reciprocity,” even then-NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio defended the officers in the SUV.
“It is inappropriate for protestors to surround a police vehicle and threaten police officers,” de Blasio said. “That’s wrong on its face and that hasn’t happened in the history of protests in this city.”
NYC math teacher loses job over cops ‘reciprocity’ Instagram post https://t.co/i5eabk6t7D pic.twitter.com/0qPcW6TqYt
— New York Post (@nypost) January 31, 2022
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Teacher Supports BLM
Flanigan was profiled by NY1 News in the summer of 2020 for playing his guitar through an open window in his apartment as a tribute to first responders.
In the profile, Flanigan reveals that he is not only a full-time teacher but also a “part-time therapist.”
The NYC teacher says he “feels solidarity with the Black Lives Matter demonstrators” and had recently added Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Killing in the Name’ to his song list.
The song is an anti-cop anthem that equates police officers to KKK members and describes a revolution that needs to be waged against authorities in order to end their abuse of power.
NYC Teacher from Brooklyn calls for a terrorist attack on police officers gathered to mourn a fallen officer. Unfortunately with the activist DA and the teachers union shielding him, nothing will be done. But is this who should be teaching children? https://t.co/aLoSEfDTtr
— Rob O’Donnell (@odonnell_r) January 30, 2022
Rivera’s widow, Dominique Luzuriaga Rivera, delivered a heartwrenching eulogy last week in which she specifically called out new Democrat Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and his lax policies toward criminals.
Powerful words from the wife of slain officer Jason Rivera. I’m so tired of the lawlessness that has been created by our “leaders”. We need to take back our country and restore law, order and accountability. Enough is enough. The experiments are over. #SupportOurLawEnforcement pic.twitter.com/F1LOUSFp37
— Mike Iribarren (@EduMatters15) January 29, 2022
“The system continues to fail us. We are not safe anymore, not even the members of the service,” she decried. “I know you were tired of these laws, especially the ones from the new DA.”
“I hope he’s watching you speak through me right now.”
