Ron Watermon, vice president of communications, said in a statement:

“A man and a woman stopped Fredbird to request a quick photograph. While the man was taking the picture, the woman standing next to Fredbird asked him to hold up the sign. Fredbird was unaware of the content of the sign.”

“On Monday, the photograph was posted to the Facebook page of St. Louis Police Officers Association with the woman cropped out of the image.

“When the Cardinals became aware of the photograph on Tuesday, we asked our friends at the police association to take it down, and they graciously accommodated our request.”