Stock photos get reused all the time, that's just how the news works when they need a quick visual and the real crowd is too small or too spread out to look dramatic. The sign being gone in 2020 proves nothing about the photo being fake, it could just be a mistake in the file date or the stock site updating their library. If the actual event happened and people showed up, the story is still true, so why does the exact picture matter that much?

Diversey and Ashland is the exact same spot I got nailed last summer. My clock showed 28 minutes from when I walked away to when they had the hook on my bumper, but the tow guy tried telling me he started the timer when I parked, which was total BS. I fought it with a timestamped video from my phone showing the whole thing, sent it to the city's 311 portal with the lot's permit number, and got a letter back saying they'd "review" it. Never heard another word for six weeks, then the tow company just dropped the charge on their own when the city called them. It's a pain for sure, but the video was the only reason I got my $185 back. Keep pushing on it, these guys count on people giving up.