Retired African-American Cops 'Take A Knee' Outside CPD
(CBS) – The "take a knee" trend continues in Chicago.
Several retired police officers sent a message outside Chicago Police Headquarters. CBS 2 Political Reporter Derrick Blakley was there.
More than 20 retired black cops gathered in unity Friday to make a statement about patriotism, protest and free speech.
"We're here to show solidarity for the First Amendment," retired police officer Judity Buckner says. "We should be able to do that without question, and nobody should come to us and say it's wrong."
As the sun glinted off the Stars and Stripes nearby, kneel they did. Most were not doing it in connection with the two black on-duty officers who joined a protesting citizen in kneeling. Those officers were reprimanded.
"You can't protest, I would say, or demonstrate, in uniform, because you're representing the organization," Corwin Calhoun says.
Retirees say President Trump's stance on the National Anthem – blasting NFL players who take a knee – partly spurred them to make their own statement.
"Who is Donald Trump to tell anyone what they can and cannot do, when he received five deferments?" Beverly Simmons says.
The retired officers say their demonstration is also in support of the active police officers who do their job right and have the courage to point out injustice when they see it, even within their own department.