Martinez calls for termination of officer who ignored racist tirade

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Local News

Assistant Majority Leader Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) called for the termination of an officer for the Cook County Forest Preserves who failed to adequately respond to a racist verbal attack on a woman in a Cook County forest. Video emerged earlier this week of an incident on the Northwest Side in which a man threatens, curses at and racially attacks a woman for wearing a shirt with the Puerto Rican flag at a pavilion she had rented for a birthday party. The video shows the officer in question repeatedly ignoring her requests for him to detain the threatening individual.  “A woman being verbally abused for simply wearing a shirt with the Puerto Rican flag is another example of how racists feel emboldened in their attacks on minorities and immigrants thanks to the current administration,” Martinez said. “But beyond that, it is inexcusable that a peace officer whose main responsibility is to maintain order and protect the safety and well-being of individuals visiting the forest preserve property would ignore a call for help from someone feeling threatened, no matter their race. He should be terminated immediately.”  The video shows other officers arriving after a bystander called the police, and the man was eventually arrested and charged with assault and disorderly conduct.

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