(PHILADELPHIA, PA, 2/11/2022) – The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia) today welcomed the suspension of a Delaware Co. fire company following alleged racist comments.
Darby Township’s Briarcliffe Fire Company has been suspended for at least 30 days after several members reportedly made racial slurs about Black firefighters and community members following a Zoom meeting with other local fire companies. Members of Briarcliffe Fire Company also reportedly mocked an 8-year-old girl who was killed by Sharon Hill police officers last August.
Darby Township commissioners voted to suspend the company and the Delaware County District Attorney’s office is investigating whether criminal behavior accompanied the comments.
SEE: Delaware County fire department suspended after alleged racist comments on Zoom call
In a statement, CAIR-Philadelphia Outreach and Education Director Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu said:
“We welcome the suspension of the fire company and the investigation into these appalling comments reportedly made by its members. An organization cannot be trusted with protecting lives in a diverse community if its staff hold such racist, bigoted views.”
Tekelioglu said the American Muslim community and CAIR stand in solidarity with all those challenging anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
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CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR-Philadelphia Civil Rights Attorney Timothy N. Welbeck, Esq., 404-642-0014 (mobile), twelbeck@cair.com; CAIR-Philadelphia Education and Outreach Director Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, PhD; 617-401-5397 (mobile), atekelioglu@cair.com
