Defend the Police rally in Grant Park met by protesters

A man attending a Defend the Police rally Saturday in Grant Park argues with counter-protesters behind a barricade of Chicago police officers on bicycles. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

A Defend the Police rally Saturday in Grant Park that drew counter protesters featured heated rhetoric between the two sides, but remained largely peaceful.

Rally organizers said they wanted to show support for police officers and push back against protests that have followed the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

“Not only do [police officers] have to deal with the protesters who have absolutely no respect for them whatsoever, but then they have to deal with the elected officials that throw them under the bus,” organizer Tina McGrath said.

The 200-person demonstration began about 2 p.m. near the site of a Christopher Columbus statue that was removed by the city Friday.

The group waved American flags and held signs that read, “God bless our police” and “Lightfoot is a communist.”

A pro-police protester shouts at counter-protesters while holding a election sign for President Donald Trump during a Defend the Police rally Saturday in Grant Park.

Kathie Mahoney, of Norwood Park, said she had family members who are police officers.

“[Police are] going through a really hard time and it’s not fair and these guys and women that come every day [to work] and don’t know if they’re coming home,” Mahoney said.

“I’m Irish, I come from people who have been oppressed for centuries, so I get it. I’ve experienced racism,” she said of protesters.

Activists calling for the Columbus statue’s removal July 17 were met with force by police when ropes were thrown over the monument in an attempt to pull it down.

During the ensuing clash, some protesters threw bottles and firecrackers at officers. A reaction by police resulted in complaints that officers used excessive force, including against a young woman whose teeth were knocked out by an officer’s punch.

“We are not obligated to take aggravated batteries as a condition of employment and just stand there and do nothing about it,” Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara said in a rally speech.

Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara speaks during the “Defend the Police” rally Saturday in Grant Park.

“The narrative that all police do is shoot on our black men, it’s bulls----,” Catanzara said.

The union leader also seemed to suggest officers would have been justified in shooting protesters during the skirmish, saying: “Not a single shot was fired, even though you could legally justify” it, based on what “several of those protesters [were] doing that night.”

Counter-protesters attempted to disrupt the rally by banging pans and cowbells from across the street.

“It just shows how childish people are,” Catanzara said. “They’ve had protest after protest after protest and we’ve made no attempt to disrupt their protests.”

Rally-goers who turned to protesters and chanted “We love you, CPD,” were met with shouts of “No justice, no peace.”

“It’s shameful that we even have to counter protest this,” Kristine Condon, who came from the west suburbs to protest. “The cops are clearly defending white Nazis on the other side. It doesn’t have to be like this.”

Police officers on bicycles form a barricade between a Defend the Police rally and counter-protesters Saturday.

Police officers separated the two sides with a barricade of bicycles until the rally ended hours later.

A group of about 300 protesters supporting Black Lives Matter returned to to the site about 5 p.m. to call on officials to defund the police, including South Sider Bill Cokley, 21, who said police were “reaping what they sow.”

“We’re tired of it, we’re fed up, so we’re getting our voice out,” Cokley said.

Jimmy Lee Tillman II and Ebony Tillman attend the Defend the Police rally Saturday in Grant Park.

A police officer confronts a counter-protester of the Defend the Police rally Saturday in Grant Park.