This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Providence, R.I. • The appearance of a "blacklivesmatter" hashtag on a police officer's coffee cup prompted a small protest outside a Rhode Island Dunkin' Donuts.
Former Providence officer Tony Lepore led Saturday's protest. He tells WLNE-TV (http://bit.ly/1Mn94nJ) that he wants the employee who wrote the slogan on the officer's cup fired.
The officer previously told his union the slogan was written on the cup of coffee he bought Oct. 2. He also said an employee was rude to him.
The slogan arose last year during protests nationwide over police violence against civilians.
Fraternal Order of Police official Lt. Roger Aspinall says the slogan is anti-police. Dunkin' Donuts released a statement saying it regrets the incident and had reached out to the officer to apologize.
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Information from: WLNE-TV, http://www.abc6.com