North Smithfield Town Council reverses controversial Nike resolution

After days of intense backlash, the town council in North Smithfield reversed course on its controversial non-binding boycott of Nike in a special meeting Monday night.

The meeting was called by council President John Beauregard, who introduced the proposal after he said the new image campaign from Nike featuring Colin Kaepernick disrespects law enforcement around the country..

Last week, a contentious meeting was held at North Smithfield Middle School where the council voted 3-2 in favor of Beauregard’s resolution.

Monday’s meeting lasted just ten minutes but it was a raucous ten minutes with constant shouts from the crowd, and one man who was thrown out for swearing at Beauregard.

Beauregard read from a prepared statement to the audience apologizing for the resolution.

“Clearly I made a mistake in having the town take a formal position on this issue,” he said. “I will vote to overturn the resolution. I believe people who have truly sacrificed everything and who’s face should be on a poster are officers who have given their lives in the line of duty and not someone who mocks their very existence.”

But according to Jim Vincent, president of the NAACP’s Providence branch, he said it’s those types of comments that show Beauregard is missing the point about NFL protests led by Kaepernick.

“This isn’t about killing police,” he said. “It is about peaceful protest, racial inequality and police brutality. And we think those issues should be dealt with.”

Vincent believes by reversing the decision, it doesn’t necessarily mean the problem is going away.

“The message has been sent throughout Rhode Island as well as the nation,” Vincent said. “The bell has been rung. You can’t un-ring this bell.”

Aside from the prepared statement read by Beauregard to the audience, he did not address the media after the vote.

ABC 6 tried speaking with other members of the town council who also declined to comment.