BATON ROUGE – The mayor has parted ways with crime activist “Silky Slim” after he made controversial comments at Wednesday's Metro Council meeting.

First questioned by The Advocate newspaper, “Silky Slim” remarked that justice came after Alton Sterling's death when a gunman opened fire on law enforcement, killing three and injuring numerous others weeks after Sterling was shot and killed by Baton Rouge Police.

“Justice came when Gavin Long came,” “Silky Slim,” whose real name is Arthur Reed, told the council. “An eye for an eye,” he said.

Council members gasped at the remarks.

Thursday, hours after the meeting, the mayor's office issued a statement and said the two were no longer associated.

“The remarks made at last night’s Metro Council meeting by Arthur 'Silky Slim' Reed were hateful, offensive, and frankly unacceptable,” the mayor's office said in a statement.

“Reed previously served on an advisory board earlier this year focused on police and community relations.  That committee, which was made up of law enforcement, faith-based leaders and community leaders was disbanded earlier in February. At the time, he was thought to be a person dedicated to improving police-citizen relations.”

The mayor's office also said Reed's contract with the BRAVE crime fighting program where he worked as a street counselor was canceled, too.

“The remarks made last night in no way reflect the views of my administration or the people of Baton Rouge. The memories of the fallen officers who were killed in the line of duty, protecting the citizens of Baton Rouge, should be honored and preserved,” the mayor said in the statement.  

The International Union of Police Associations released a statement saying in part, "If Mayor Broome's judgement and her desire for the type of Police Department she envisions for Baton Rouge is reflected in her choice of advisors, then the people of that Parish are facing and ugly period in their proud history." 

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