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Cincinnati cops demand removal of painting showing ‘Officer’ Piglet gunning down Winnie the Pooh
May 25, 2022 12:17PM ET
Magnus Juliano
The head of Cincinnati's police union demanded the Cincinnati Art Museum take down a painting that he claims promotes violence against officers.
The painting by artist Magnus Juliano shows Winnie the Pooh handcuffed and lying face-down in a pool of blood with the character Piglet, who's wearing a police hat and holding a gun, while Tigger holds a sign off the side reading, 'Off the pig,'" reported WXIX-TV.
“This is meant to divide citizens and their police, which isn’t good for the citizens,” said Dan Hils, president of the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police. “Without us, crime runs rampant. Killing becomes even more commonplace.”
Hils said another officer's wife called after seeing the painting, titled “Mother Land Theme Park Black Panther Gift Shop,” while touring the museum with her child.
“She saw something that was completely hateful, completely ugly, and it was so ugly because it was so personal,” Hils said, adding that the painting suggested that child's father is a "murderer."
“You know I think you take little tiny steps at a time," Hils said. "When you hear of something like this, you should act on it. You shouldn’t sit there and just accept that people are out there putting absolute disgusting lies about police officers and having to accept it as art or accepted as something as beauty.”
But other museum goers didn't think the painting should be removed from the exhibit, “Black and Brown Faces: Paying Homage To," and said the union chief was missing the point.
“It’s art,” said museum visitor Hayden Baumgartner. “Art is supposed to make people feel things. Even if it pisses you off, it’s art -- that’s what it’s supposed to do. It’s supposed to make you feel something and evoke a reaction.”
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