CHICAGO – Members of the Chicago City Council slammed a social media post by the Chicago Teachers Union praising Assata Shakur, the activist who was convicted of killing a state trooper in New Jersey in the 1970s.
What they’re saying:
The aldermen said the CTU is glorifying extremist violence.
“The post is not an isolated mistake, but part of a dangerous pattern at CTU,” said Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward). “Why does this matter? Because when union leaders elevate someone tied to one of the most violent groups in American history, they are sending our children a dangerous message. That violence and extremism are acceptable paths to change.”
Over the weekend, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called CTU’s post “shameful and depraved,” and said the trooper, Werner Foerster, was “executed in cold blood.”
The CTU posted the tribute to Shakur on Friday, the day after she died. Shakur escaped from prison in 1979 and had been living in Cuba as a fugitive.
The other side:
The CTU vice president responded to the council members’ statements on Monday, accusing them of focusing too much on the post instead of well-being of their constituents.
“Ald. Reilly and the DOGE caucus of City Council are focusing on a tweet commemorating a history they do not understand, and prefer to ignore or misrepresent, because they are doing the job of the Conservative media ecosystem and Trump administration instead of the job of representing the people of Chicago from tyranny,” said CTU Vice President Jackson Potter in a statement.
Potter added, “They ought to be tending to the families in their wards, delivering on the resources they promised Chicago’s students, and joining those who are working to protect our city every day. If a tweet is what keeps them up at night while our children are under threat and grandparents selling fruit are kidnapped every day by federal agents, that says everything.”