2 Chicago Cops Reprimanded For 'Taking A Knee' Photo

CHICAGO, IL – After President Trump's castigation of NFL players who have chosen to kneel during pregame national anthems to protest racism and police brutality spurred an increase in on-field demonstrations over the weekend, two Chicago police officers face reprimands after being pictured kneeling with raised fists Sunday in the lobby of a South Side police station.

Local community activist Aleta Clark, CEO of the "Hugs No Slugs" campaign, posted an image of herself flanked by two Chicago Police Department officers on Instagram Sunday. By Monday evening, the post had accumulated more than 1,800 "likes."

In the accompanying caption, Clark writes that she walked into the station asking if police were against police brutality and racism. When they said "yes," she asked if they were also in support of Colin Kaepernick, who began kneeling during the NFL's pre-game rendition of the national anthem last year. They said they were, and Clark asked them to kneel with her, according to the post.

It's against CPD policy to "participate in a partisan political campaign or activity."

"We are aware of the photo," said a CPD spokesperson. "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."

In a video posted to her Instagram account after leaving the station, Clark said she asked other officers at the station if they would participate in the symbolic "take a knee" protest. She said she was not surprised that none of the "European" officers were willing to participate.

"Not one would kneel," she said, suggesting in the caption they did not want to "compromise their jobs by kneeling for equality." One reacted incredulously, asking her "What would I look like kneeling? I'm a sergeant," according to Clark.

Watch Aleta Clark discuss the post at a Monday evening press conference:

_{Top photo: Two Chicago Police officers "taking a knee" in the lobby of the 6th District station | Courtesy Aleta Clark, Founder HugsNoSlugs}