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Country music duo under fire after requesting armed cops not be allowed backstage

The band says they meant no disrespect to police

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In this June 11, 2016 file photo, Tyler Hubbard, left, and Brian Kelly of Florida Georgia Line perform at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tenn.

Photo by Al Wagner/Invision/AP, File

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Country duo Florida Georgia Line said they meant no disrespect to police when they requested that armed officers not be allowed backstage during music festivals on Friday and Saturday.

Kim Blevins, general manager for the Country Thunder Music Festival in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, said some people aired complaints on Facebook about the band’s request for no armed officers for their Friday set.

A sheriff in Jones County, Iowa, where Florida Georgia Line performed on Saturday, told Fox News that the duo made a similar request.

The incident followed recent shootings of police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Dallas.

Florida Georgia Line said in a statement Tuesday it was “redundant” to use local authorities when security was already present, and added that “nothing is more important than our fans’ safety.”

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press