Chicago activist Aleta Clark was honored to see two Black police officers kneel alongside her in solidarity against police brutality. But after her Instagram photo of the them together went viral, the Chicago Police Department decided to reprimand both officers.
According to the caption in her Instagram photo, Clark walked into a local Chicago police station and asked the two police officers if they are “against police brutality and racism” and if they “support Colin Kapernick.” Both officers said yes, and they agreed to kneel with Clark when asked for a photo.
But the Chicago Police Department has since spoken out against the officers making “political statements” while in uniform.
“We are aware of the photo and we will address it in the same way we have handled previous incidents in which officers have made political statements while in uniform, with a reprimand and a reminder of department policies,” Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the Chicago Tribune.
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Clark’s post comes days after President Donald Trump took aim at NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem in protest against police brutality and racism. NFL teams, other athletes, and celebrities have since protested the president’s comments by linking arms and kneeling—with many activists noting that people are perhaps forgetting what the original protest was about.