Cardi B has deleted a tweet supporting the police following a backlash from social media users.
The 28-year-old rapper provoked controversy on social media earlier this week when she replied to a follower who tweeted "Defund the Police" - a slogan often used by Black Lives Matter activists protesting racial profiling and police brutality.
However, the 'WAP' rapper appeared to take umbrage over this stance and replied that she thought this would be an unwise move.
She then went on to allude that issues around the police brutality disproportionately suffered by Black in the United States would be solved if police officers faced the same judicial repercussions as civilians.
Per Page Six, the Bronx-born Grammy-award-winner wrote in response on Thursday:
"We need cops and that’s facts we just need strict laws for cops. If you shot someone just like civilians you will go to jail that same day, get charge, wait for bond and go to trial.
"That will make you think twice about shooting anyone."
The reaction to the tweet was mixed, with some Twitter users agreeing with her sentiments, while others criticized her opinion as uninformed.
For instance, one of her supporters wrote: "love to see cardi b utilize common sense with respect to this issue. 'Defund and abolish' is not a solution to corruption in law enforcement.
"We need radical police reform so that we can appropriately enforce the law, for the sake of vulnerable populations who may be victimized."
However, others were more critical. For example, one detractor wrote: "Cardi. Defund the police does NOT mean ABOLISH the police.
"It means reallocating all the money from the police to local municipalities. To social workers. Housing, education, employment, mental health care, and youth services. Stop sending military weapons used in war to police."
This controversy comes not long after the rapper took to Twitter to share a face-to-camera rant against so-called "Blue Tick Republicans" over the issue of police brutality.
Per Page Six, Cardi referenced the recent death of Daunte Wright after his fatal encounter with police veteran Kim Potter.
Speaking in her video, the rapper said: "We have seen a young man get killed by a cop, unarmed, and the excuse was the cop that had been on duty for 20-plus years, [mistook] a gun for a taser.
"And my thing is, where the f*** are you Twitter blue check Republicans at?
"Y’all are the loudest on this motherf***king app. Y’all not saying nothing, y’all not complaining, y’all blame everything with what’s wrong in America besides the police. Y’all have been very silent! What’s going on?"
