As Florida Georgia Line was in the middle of celebrating their hit “H.O.L.Y.” going to the top spot on the country music charts, the duo was thrust into a controversy that just might have a detrimental effect on the future of their career.
It all started on the night of July 24, when a man by the name of Kenneth Lee wrote a Facebook post insinuating that while working the Country Thunder festival in Wisconsin, he had received word that FGL “had requested a zero police presence during their Country Thunder concert,”“they must not trust police,” and that they had taken an “anti-police stance.” The post spread through social media with many insinuating that FGL was made up of “cop haters.”
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“We were on the grounds the entire event covering the camp sites, festival grounds and also [backstage],” Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth told FOX411 Country. “I was informed the [Florida Georgia Line] spokesperson had made the request prior to the concert that no law enforcement be backstage while they were on the grounds.”
“When I got back[stage], I was told Florida Georgia Line didn’t want any law enforcement behind before, during or after the show,” added Sheriff Greg Graver of Jones County. “I’m not going to say [the request] was normal.”
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After the request, FGL went on to ask for a police escort after their Saturday night show. Yet, their request was denied. “They asked for a police escort and I denied it,” Graver said. “Part of it was because we’re busy, and part of it was I didn’t talk to them directly and I wished they would have reached out to me. They didn’t want us backstage so we just opted out of the escort. It’s not something that we’re mandated to do.”
Rare Country reached out to FGL’s team but has yet to receive comment. FGL did, however, comment on the controversy via Twitter on July 25 saying, “We want you to know that we have nothing but love and respect for the police. We are bummed anyone ever got a different impression.”
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