Kentucky state police tweeted a rape joke during the Super Bowl
A former inmate has claimed that LGBT+ prisoners are disproportionately subjected to solitary confinement. (Creative Commons)
Kentucky state police made a crude rape ‘joke’ during the Super Bowl game last night about Patriots player Rob Gronkowski.
The official Twitter account for the police force of Kentucky tweeted that they were enjoying watching Gronkowski play, but followed it up with a less than tasteful remark that tried to wordplay his position as a tight end on the team.
(Twitter)
“Enjoy watching @Robgronkoski (TE) play but if you drink & drive…your tight-end may end up in jail! #designateddriver #Super Bowl,” they wrote.
The tweet was written alongside a picture of a bar of a soap on a rope, alluding to the stale joke about sexual assault within prisons.
The joke was immediately lambasted by Kentucky officials including Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Grimes, who called for an apology.
“Rape & sexual assault are not joking matters. Citizens expect & deserve better of law enforcement. An apology to victims everywhere from @kystatepolice is needed,” she wrote.
A separate person complained: “Another instance where police officers and departments are void of responsibility. Yeah, i’m sure this opinion is “isolated”. Thanks for showing us once again that police officers are void of responsibility for anything they have ever done, or ever will do. no matter what it may be.”
(Twitter)
“The Kentucky State Police represents what is wrong with US law enforcement and why career ending, mass upheaval, manual rewriting reforms are long, long overdue,” another person wrote.
A third added: “I sincerely hope the “individual employee” was fired over this, not just reprimanded. Tweets written by many reveal what is in their make-up and in their hearts. I can’t imagine the KSP or any other organization wanting an employee on their staff who sent a Tweet like that-ever.”
Four hours after the joke was posted, the police department deleted it and issued an apology.
It read: “The Kentucky State Police apologizes for the inappropriate tweet that appeared on our Twitter feed earlier tonight. Making light of sexual assault is never acceptable, and we apologize for the distress this tweet caused, particularly to the victims of these heinous crimes.
“KSP is committed to protecting against sexual assault and fighting for justice for victims. This tweet – made by an individual employee – does not represent KSP or our mission.”
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
A group of Eagles fans settled down in a gay bar in Minneapolis to watch the Super Bowl last night after mistaking it for a sports bar, but they still had an incredible time.
The group of fans did not have tickets to watch the game and so they decided to find a bar to watch it instead.
They stumbled across The Eagle Bolt Bar, a downtown venue that many believed was an Eagles-themed bar.
A flood of Philly Eagles fans entered the bar, but native Mineeapoitans were bemused at their choice of a haunt.
“Eagles fans are mistaking @eagleBoltbar as a fan bar and I am DYING. It’s more of a Bears kinda place ya’ll,” one person wrote on Twitter.
“Eagles fans here at @eagleBoltbar were drawn by the name,” another added.
The non-binary person in Coca-Cola’s Super Bowl advert (YouTube/coca-cola)
Coca-Cola took the opportunity to run an advert featuring a lesbian couple and a non-binary person during the sports game, which is one of the most watched worldwide with 100 million people tuning in.
The voiceover, which switches between different people as the camera does too, tells viewers: “There’s a Coke for he – and she – and her – and me – and them.”
On the “and them,” the ad shows a person with a rainbow-coloured collar smiling at the camera.
Later on, the ad shows a woman in a car, while the voiceover says: “We all have different looks.”
And then – panning across to another woman in the driver’s seat – the voiceover says: “And loves.”
P!nk performed at the event before Justin Timberlake, who headlined the multi-billion dollar event.
