CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago Police Department is investigating the use of a homophobic slur by a police officer caught on video during the first of many protests in River North since the killing of George Floyd.
On May 30 at around 7:35 p.m., protesters at the intersection of Grand and State were walking away from a line of police officers when a cop chased a protester with a stop sign, according to a witness who caught the exchange on video. The protester then threw an orange construction cone at the officer as he walked away, which grazed his shoulder. The officer then turned around and shouted at him.
WARNING: This video contains offensive and vulgar language.
A post shared by kyle (@kylcnnnghm) on May 30, 2020 at 6:47pm PDT
The person who recorded the incident, which has made its rounds on social media, tagged the mayor and the Chicago Police Department, which released a statement Saturday saying it "strives to treat all individuals our officers encounter with respect" and will take appropriate disciplinary action immediately as the department works to identify the officer involved.
Police say anyone who feels they have been mistreated by a CPD officer is encouraged to call 311 and file a complaint with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. In light of several other complaints and acts of misconduct against police since protests started a week ago, Mayor Lightfoot has also said people should report police misconduct and that the city will not tolerate such behavior.
Thursday, a photojournalist captured a photo of a police officer flipping off protesters during a peaceful protest in Lincoln Park that has since gone viral. Lightfoot expressed her disgust with the action and told reporters that the officer should be fired.
"We will find that person, and in my view, that person needs to be immediately stripped of his police powers, and that should start the process for firing him," Lightfoot said. "We will not tolerate that kind of abusive, offensive conduct of a police officer, period."
