Cop Buying Bible Told to Leave Over Store's 'Police-Free' Stance: Officer

newsweek.com:

In a widely-circulated Facebook message, shared on May 17, Jo Bridges said she had walked into Pilsen Community Books (PCB) to buy a Bible for her home.She added: "When I walked in, in uniform, I was told I couldn't be in there because of my equipment.

I told her I was on duty and could carry. She went on to say 'this is not a cop-friendly space.'"As a gay Mexican-American, who's served her country and continues to serve her community, I'm shocked and heartbroken."The officer added: "My beloved Pilsen, my home, my barrio where I lived for 7 years and still own a home there…I'm embarrassed and heartbroken for the way she treated me."I promise you, I didn't get mad as I walked out but my voice did crack when I told her how as a woman, a Mexican, a member of the community, I couldn't believe what she was doing.

Thanks, Pilsen Community Books. Promise to never go there again."Since being shared, the post has attracted more than 450 reactions, 104 comments and 166 shares.Many of those commenting on the post were supportive of Bridges and condemned the store for telling her it was not police friendly.While the bookstore did not directly mention the incident, it did reaffirm its police-free stance in a May 18 Instagram post.A post shared by instagramThe post read: "We know that we keep us safe and that our community is the folks that come through our doors every day— young organizers looking for their first Frantz Fanon book, teachers buying books with their own money for their classroom, parents hoping to expose their children to books that will help them imagine and create a better world."These people are our community, and these people are always welcome.