Breitbart Launches Petition Against LAPD After Department Took a Swipe at the Outlet and Conservatives

Breitbart News has launched a petition against the Los Angeles Police Department discriminating against conservatives after pulling their ads from the website and claiming that the outlet “creates a negative juxtaposition to our core values.”

As the Gateway Pundit previously reported, the LAPD took the swipe at Breitbart after Daily Beast Editor-in-Chief Noah Shachtman took a screenshot of a recruitment ad that appeared on Breitbart and sparked liberal outrage.  

The tweet quickly went viral, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department to respond directly to Shachtman’s tweet. 

Uhhhh why is the LAPD running recruitment ads on Breitbart?! pic.twitter.com/9gr1hnmy4o

— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) September 28, 2019

Despite the fact that Breitbart News is one of the most pro-police news outlets out there, the LAPD was quick to condemn the site.

“The LAPD celebrates diversity and embraces it within our ranks, and within the city we serve. We are aware that a recruitment advertisement has been circulated on a website that creates a negative juxtaposition to our core values,” the department tweeted. “We take matters like this very seriously, and have begun an initial inquiry into the matter and to determine its validity, as well as what future steps can and will be taken to avoid this situation occurring in the future.”

LAPD Chief Michel Moore tweeted on Saturday that the department would be investigating how the ad ended up on the site, and if it was a “spoof/other effort to discredit LAPD.” He claimed that the department had not purchased the ad and neither did senior leadership at LA City Personnel.

Now, Breitbart News has responded to the digs from the LAPD by urging conservatives to sign a petition against the political discrimination.

“In the last few days, LAPD has been targeted by dishonest political activists and fooled into doing their bidding by removing advertising from Breitbart and making public comments that support their false claims – specifically that Breitbart readers are a negative juxtaposition to their core values,” Breitbart wrote in their response. “LAPD is blacklisting YOU because of YOUR political beliefs, all the while ignoring that Breitbart News is a diverse news organization, with a diverse group of 20 million monthly website readers who are pro-law enforcement.”

The petition will be mailed to LAPD Chief Michel Moore, Police Commissioner President Eileen Decker, Vice President Shane Murphy Goldsmith, Commissioner Dale Bonner, Commissioner Steve Soboroff, Commissioner Sandra Figueroa-Villa, and General Manager LA City Personnel Dept. Wendy Macy.

The petition states, “I am a Breitbart reader. Breitbart neither propagates nor tolerates hate of any kind. Nor do I. I am insulted and disrespected by your public and false criticism. It is wrong to discriminate against conservative citizens. It is wrong to blacklist Breitbart and other mainstream conservative websites from LAPD advertising. Please tell the citizens of Los Angeles that LAPD welcomes recruits of all political beliefs who are willing and able to meet your rigorous standards.”

Sign the petition here.