Leicestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner will no longer meet with Black Lives Matter

Rupert Matthews told a 'Teams' meeting his organisation "will have absolutely no contact at all with the group."

Mr Matthews made the comments in a 'Teams' meeting and said he was met with 'a deathly silence.'

The recently elected Police and Crime Commissioner's (PCC) agenda had initially set out some meetings with Black Lives Matter but he said in his blog, "Why are we meeting an organisation that wants to defund the police, has put police officers in hospital, and desecrated the cenotaph in London?"

While 'Black Lives Matter' can be described as a group or movement, the phrase is also used by people, regardless of their affiliation, in the fight against racism. Although older the term came to prominence in the UK following the murder of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American in the US in 2020. 

Although Leicestershire Police did not comment on the blog - as they said it is a matter for the PCC - they did say they would continue to meet with black community leaders as we have before and continue those positive relationships.

The PCC can only scrutinise their work and the Conservative held office cannot tell the force how it operates. 

Rupert Matthew's office has been contacted for comment.

"So I can lock it..."

The blog also outlined Mr Matthew's first days in the job. 

One of his first actions according to the site was to get a lock on his door.

He said, "I stick my head out of the door and ask my new PA if I can have a lock and handle on the door so that I can secure it."

"“Why do you want a lock on the door”, asks a passing member of staff."

"“So I can lock it,” I reply."

He also stopped a number of spending commitments made by his predecessor, Lord Willy Bark.