Fireworks were expected at Wednesday's Chicago City Council meeting, as the Fraternal Order of Police was urging all its members to storm City Hall in a protest against Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
The police union spent the early morning Wednesday setting up transportation to bring officers to City Hall by the busload because they believe the mayor has turned his back on police.
One of their biggest problems was the April ruling by the Chicago Police Board that officer Robert Rialmo should be fired. Rialmo fatally shot 19-year-old Quintonio LeGrier and 55-year-old Bettie Jones in December 2015. His pay was suspended and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability deemed that the shooting was unjustified - a ruling that contradicted what the FOP and Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson found in their reviews of the case.
The FOP's call for protest also came as Emanuel negotiates a consent decree that could result in federal oversight over CPD, after the U.S. Department of Justice under former President Barack Obama found the department engaged in a pattern and practice of civil rights violations.
It's unclear how many would attend Wednesday's protest, but an FOP flier circulating urged all union members to come in a show of force to demand that Emanuel back the city's officers.
Emanuel was aware of plans to protest, nine months before the upcoming mayoral election in which he has drawn nine challengers - including Garry McCarthy, the CPD superintendent he ousted in fallout over the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald.
Emanuel has defended his recent moves, saying he is "right down the middle" when it comes to police reforms.
