A Eureka, California firefighter has filed a grievance after being asked to remove a #BlackLivesMatter pin from his uniform. 

Matt McFarland, who serves as union president for local 652, says that he was wearing the pin since November with no complaints or commentary. But when Eureka Police Chief Andy Mills spotted it during a visit, McFarland was ordered to do away with the needlessly controversial, civil rights gear. 

Ironically, Tamera McFaland (Matt's wife) recently snapped a photo of Chief Mills wearing a "Police Lives Matter" bracelet. He decided to floss it at a "racial equality" workshop.

When questions about the bracelet, Mills said the difference is that the bracelet wasn't apart of his official uniform. “The uniform is a symbol of authority,” he said. And official policy prohibits unauthorized, with an emphasis on "unauthorized" signage regardless of what it supports. ( i.e.: Black Lives Matter, Make America Great Again, etc.)

McFarland, on the other hand, believes the pin is essential to his duties, stating:

“My pin is without a doubt related to my service as a firefighter because recent political events have created an environment of heightened fear and anxiety among communities of color, and increased distrust of law enforcement.”

In a petition release, change.org McFarland adds that he, "quietly seeks to communicate that any Black person or person of color in crisis in Eureka will be safe and respected during their Humboldt Bay Fire response." 

The open hearing to discuss the issue is set Wednesday at Eureka City Hall Chambers, 10 am.