Authorities scrutinize noose incident at Miami fire station

Source: Associated Press


Adriana Gomez Licon, Associated Press

 Updated 5:24 pm, Thursday, November 2, 2017

MIAMI (AP) — Miami authorities are scrutinizing a fire station where a noose was found hanging over a black firefighter's family photo ruined by lewd drawings. City officials fired six firefighters and five others could be suspended or demoted.

Termination letters sent to The Associated Press on Thursday said the fired firefighters drew or helped draw pictures of penises on personal photos of a colleague. One of them was a captain and another one a lieutenant. The captain failed to report the incident and lied to investigators, according to the letters.

. . .

It is the second incident involving a noose and firefighters in South Florida this year. In June, a noose was found hanging over the chair of a black firefighter recruit in a training session in Pompano Beach, leading to one firing and three resignations.

Experts have pointed out an increase in the use of hate symbols such as nooses and swastikas around the country. Nooses have appeared in the past few months in numerous public places, from museums in Washington, to universities in Maryland and Kansas, a high school in Oklahoma and a church in Alabama.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Authorities-scrutinize-noose-incident-at-Miami-12326805.php