Black Chicago Cops Reprimanded For Taking A Knee In Instagram Photo

Two black Chicago police officers will be reprimanded for making "political statements while in uniform" after taking a knee and throwing up their fists alongside an activist.

In a report from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago activist Aleta Clark took a picture with the two officers this past Sunday and posted the image to Instagram which was ultimately seen by the Chicago Police Department. The department states that the photo violates its ban on police making political statements while on-duty.

"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," Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the department, said.

In her post, Clark explains how the picture came about, writing:

That Moment when you walk into the police station and ask the Men of Color are they Against Police Brutality and Racism & they say Yes...then you ask them if they support Colin Kapernick...and they also say yes...then you ask them to Kneel!

The take a knee movement has moved from beyond the NFL, with musicians such as Pharrell and Stevie Wonder recently participating in the protest against police brutality and institutionalized racism. During the final moments of a recent performance in Charlottesville, Virginia, Pharrell took a knee and said the following to the audience: "If I want to get on my knees right now for the people of my city, for the people of my state, that’s what this flag is for."

Prior to that, Wonder also took a knee during his performance at the Global Citizen Festival at Central Park in New York City.

"Tonight, I'm taking a knee for America," Wonder said. "But not just one knee, I'm taking both knees. Both knees and pray for our planet, our future, our leaders of the world and our globe."

"We must take care of each other, and this planet," he added. "If we don't, we could lose the ultimate video game of life."

Source: chicagotribune.com