A lady who claimed to be a police officer stated a bookstore in Chicago requested her to depart and was advised the enterprise was "not a cop pleasant area."

In a widely-circulated Fb message, shared on Could 17, Jo Bridges stated she had walked into Pilsen Group Books (PCB) to purchase a Bible for her residence.

She added: "After I walked in, in uniform, I used to be advised I could not be in there due to my gear. I advised her I used to be on obligation and will carry. She went on to say 'this isn't a cop-friendly area.'

"As a homosexual Mexican-American, who's served her nation and continues to serve her group, I am shocked and heartbroken."

Anti police demonstrator and Chicago police officer
Cut up picture of Chicago police officer and protester. A lady who stated she is a police officer claims she was advised to depart a bookstore as a result of she carried a gun. Getty

The officer added: "My beloved Pilsen, my residence, my barrio the place I lived for 7 years and nonetheless personal a house there…I am embarrassed and heartbroken for the best way she handled me.

"I promise you, I did not get mad as I walked out however my voice did crack once I advised her how as a girl, a Mexican, a member of the group, I could not consider what she was doing. Thanks, Pilsen Group Books. Promise to by no means go there once more."

Since being shared, the submit has attracted greater than 450 reactions, 104 feedback and 166 shares.

A lot of these commenting on the submit had been supportive of Bridges and condemned the shop for telling her it was not police pleasant.

Whereas the bookstore didn't straight point out the incident, it did reaffirm its police-free stance in a Could 18 Instagram submit.

A submit shared by instagram

The submit learn: "We all know that we preserve us secure and that our group is the oldsters that come via our doorways each day— younger organizers on the lookout for their first Frantz Fanon e book, academics shopping for books with their very own cash for his or her classroom, dad and mom hoping to show their kids to books that can assist them think about and create a greater world.

"These persons are our group, and these persons are all the time welcome. Within the curiosity of fostering a secure area for all of those folks, each time potential, we intention to maintain PCB a police-free retailer."

Since being shared, the Instagram submit attracted some 588 likes.

Newsweek has contacted PCB and Bridges for remark.

Based on the Pew Analysis Middle, in November 2020, 26 p.c of respondents to a survey stated they'd an excessive amount of confidence within the police.

It added that four-in-10 Republicans and Republican-leaning folks had an excessive amount of confidence within the police, contrasting vastly with 13 p.c of Democrats and independents who felt the identical.