Chicago's progressive Mayor 'tried to bully his way into murdered cop Luis Huesca's funeral family barred him from attending and only backed off when victim's sister said she'd cause a scene if he appeared'

Chicago's progressive mayor tried to bully his way into the funeral of a murdered cop - and only backed down on being warned the victim's sister would eject him.  

Brandon Johnson only scrapped his plan to attend the memorial for Luis Huesca after the 30 year-old slain cop's sister threatened to 'make a scene' if she saw him.

That's according to Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara, who revealed the behind-the-scenes saga in an interview with Chicago Sun Times. 

On Monday, hundreds of people attended funeral services for the fallen officer Huesca, who was shot and killed during a brutal carjacking while on his way home from work last week. 

But Mayor Johnson, who initially said he would attend the funeral in the schedule released Sunday night, notified reporters at the last minute that he would not be present. 

Huesca's family are distraught that their loved one's killer is on the loose and angry at Johnson for his progressive stance, which they say is worsening violent crime across the Windy City.  

The change to Johnson's plans came after Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza wrote in an early morning post on X that Huesca's mother asked her to tell Johnson that 'he was unwelcome' at the funeral. 

Luis Huesca, 30, was shot multiple times in the Gage Park neighborhood on April 21 and was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center

Mayor Brandon Johnson(pictured) tried to bully his way into the murdered Chicago police officer Luis Huesca's funeral despite being told by the family to stay away, reports say

On Monday, hundreds of people attended funeral services for the fallen officer Huesca, who was shot and killed during a brutal carjacking while on his way home from work last week

Huesca, 30, was shot multiple times in the Gage Park neighborhood on April 21 and was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center. 

He served as a Chicago Police officer for six years and was just two days shy of his 31st birthday. He was heading home from work when he was fatally shot. 

Caschaus Tate, 20, was arrested and charged with one felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon last week in connection with the shooting. 

He is described as an 'associate' of Xavier L. Tate Jr., 22, who is wanted for first-degree murder in the death of Officer Huesca.

Xavier Tate was not yet in police custody as of Monday night,

In an X post shared shortly before the funeral started, Mendoza wrote: 'Last night at Ofc. Huesca's visitation, his grief-stricken mother asked Rep. Angelica Guerrero Cuellar & me to please tell the mayor he was unwelcome at her son's funeral.'

According to Catanzara, the Huesca family had delivered their message for Mayor Johnson to stay away as early as last Wednesday. 

'Somebody close to the family' called Catanzara, saying they 'did not want certain people at his services', he said. 

The unwelcome members include Johnson and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who immediately agreed to honor the family's wish. 

The mayor's office 'initially agreed' but started 'pushing back' on Thursday, Catanzara said. 

'The final sentence that Lily told my lobbyist was, 'If he [Johnson] shows up there, I will make a scene and throw him out myself,'' Catanzara recalled. 

He 'thought everything was squared away' until the Huesca family texted him on Sunday: 'Is the mayor really coming?' 

The progressive mayor only backed off when Huesca's sister threatened to 'make a scene', according to Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara, who revealed the behind-the-scenes saga in an interview with Chicago Sun Times

He rushed to the funeral home, only to learn from someone with the Chicago Police Department that they had told the family that 'the mayor is mandatory to be here,' Catanzara said. 

He recalled telling the police officer: 'You're lying to the family. There is nothing mandatory about the mayor's attendance, and shame on you for even trying to tell the family that this is the only option they have.' 

'At one point, there was an implication that the honors funeral is tied to the mayor's attendance. That was the guilt trip that we're laying on this family,' Catanzara said. 

During a conversation with CPD Supt. Larry Snelling on speaker phone, one police officer told Huesca's mother in Spanish, that it was 'mandatory that the mayor had to show up,' Catazara recalled. 

At the wake on Sunday night, Huesca's mother reaffirmed their message again with Mendoza and state Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar. 

'They didn't want the mayor to attend because they don't think he supports the police,' said Abdon Pallasch, Mendoza's spokesperson.

Still, the mayor's office released a schedule Sunday night, saying that Johnson would attend the funeral. 

According to Catazara, the mayor's advance team showed up at Saint Rita Cascia Shrine Chapel hours before the funeral on Monday morning. 

'It is not too late to honor Fallen Officer Huesca by respecting his mother's wishes,' Mendoza wrote in a post that went out 30 minutes before the funeral started, asking the mayor to honor the family's wishes. 

Mayor Johnson, who initially said he would attend the funeral in the schedule released Sunday night, notified reporters at the last minute that he would not be present

CPD Supt. Larry Snelling was reportedly on speaker phone when one police officer told Huesca's mother in Spanish, that it was 'mandatory that the mayor had to show up' 

'Our family feels so frustrated and furious that our brother is not here,' Huesca's sister Lily O'Brien(second from right) said in a video posted by the FOP before the funeral

An updated schedule released at 8.51am said Johnson would not be present at Huesca's funeral. 

'Our family feels so frustrated and furious that our brother is not here,' Huesca's sister Lily O'Brien said in a video posted by the FOP before the funeral. 

'He had somebody else that murdered him [who] is running around, and he's still free. The anger that we feel with how violent that Chicago has turned. How this is now the status quo. 

'How this is normalized. This week, it's my brother. Next week, it's your brother or somebody else's son or somebody else's mother,' Obrien's said. 

Johnson said in a written statement Monday morning:  'We continue to send our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Officer Luis Huesca as they heal from the loss of their beloved son, nephew, brother and friend.

'As mayor, I vow to continue supporting our police and first responders, uniting our city and remaining committed to working with everyone towards building a better, stronger, safer Chicago.'