January 18, 2021

Statement calling for the removal of FOP Leader John Catanzara

Activate:Chi calls for the immediate removal of FOP Leader John Catanzara. His comments minimizing and defending the violent terrorist attacks that occurred at the Capitol are not only disgraceful, but incongruent with the concepts of liberty and democracy [1]. He has also shown a history of racism and undue use of force. Anything less than the most expedited removal possible is unacceptable.

It needs to be said that those under and around him need to be clearly and critically investigated as well. We are all living in the unprecedented time where the sitting president has been impeached twice and we should all think about the implications. “Impeachment” is simply a word meaning to charge the highest office with crime - however, as John Catanzara shows, there are racists, apologists, and white supremicists filling these positions from top to bottom. It is our duty to root all of them out. No one believes the impeachment of a racist president will purge America of racism, so why would we believe the removal of a racist police union leader would purge the CPD of racism? John Catanzara represents the CPD by both title and actions. The CPD received over $1.68 billion in tax dollars [2] to elect a racist as one of their leaders. When rotten apples ruin the bunch, you do not try to eat through the rot, you throw away the apples and start new.

Activate:Chi appreciates the 35 Aldermen who have raised their voice in calling for John Catanzara’s removal [3]. We are, however, more concerned with the 15 Aldermen, named below, who did not. There is no legitimate justification to avoid the immediate removal from public office of a racist and terrorist sympathizer. We at Activate:Chi will be reaching out to each of these Aldermen to demand answers. If you live in these wards we ask you to consider your community role and contact your Alderman to call for the removal of John Catanzara.

Aldermen who have not signed the resolution calling for the removal of John Catanzara:

  • Ald. Gregory Mitchell (7th Ward)
  • Ald. Anthony Beale (9th Ward)
  • Ald. Patrick Thompson (11th Ward)
  • Ald. Marty Quinn (13th Ward)
  • Ald. Ed Burke (14th Ward)
  • Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th Ward)
  • Ald. Matthew O’Shea (19th Ward)
  • Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd Ward)
  • Ald. Jason Ervin (28th Ward)
  • Ald. Ariel E. Reboyras (30th Ward)
  • Ald. Nicholas Sposato (38th Ward)
  • Ald. Samantha Nugent (39th Ward)
  • Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41st Ward)
  • Ald. Thomas M. Tunney (44th Ward)
  • Ald. James M. Gardiner (45th Ward)

To all Aldermen: this resolution and its support shows your conscious knowledge of the mass existence of bigotry within the CPD. It is your duty as our representatives to ensure this is only the beginning of action that will be taken. Otherwise, there is nothing stopping the CPD from sweeping this under the rug and electing another racist as their leader.

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Activate:Chi

email: info@activate-chi.org
web: activate-chi.org


  1. wbez.org
  2. civicfed.org
  3. nbcchicago.com