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Crowd Gathers Outside Chicago Police Station -- To Praise Cops

WBBM's Bob Roberts

(CBS) -- More than 200 people staged a rally outside of a Chicago Police station Thursday evening, but it was no protest.

Instead, they were voicing support for the force, WBBM's Bob Roberts reports.

The rally was the idea of aldermen Nicholas Sposato, 38th Ward, and Anthony Napolitano (41), but neither knew what to expect when Sposato, a former firefighter, and Napolitano, a former police officer, set up shop in front of the Jefferson Park district station at 5151 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Sposato said he had modest hopes, expecting about 50 despite posting information about it on his Facebook page.

Those who answered the call ranged from off-duty officers and their spouses to bearded bikers, teens and self-described "little old lady" Florence Oleksy, who nodded at the 16th District station and said she has called them on many occasions over the years.

"And they were right there for me," she said.

Although the signs reading "Support the Police" did not ask passing motorists to honk in support, many did so. There was no sign of counter-protesters.

 

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