Muslim civil rights group: Fire corrections officer over ‘blatantly bigoted’ meme
The state Department of Correction says it will review accusations that an officer posted an offensive meme on his social media account, following calls from the nation’s largest Muslim civil liberties group for his firing.
The Connecticut Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations called for the termination of officer Anthony Marlak, a 12-year employee who has worked at Cheshire and Newtown’s Garner correctional institutes, in a letter sent to Department of Correction Commissioner Angel Quiros on Friday.
CAIR-CT claims Marlak posted a meme on a Facebook account, under the pseudonym “Anthony David,” depicting five men hanging from a rope by their necks with the caption “Islamic Wind Chimes” and a comment reading: “Think I found the best meme on the planet!”
“Officer Marlak’s posting is blatantly bigoted and is actually a violation of the Department’s social media policy because it undermines public confidence in the DOC’s commitment to racial equality and religious tolerance,” said Farhan Memon, chairman of CAIR-CT, in the letter.
In response to the letter, Director of External Affairs Karen Martucci said Monday that the department’s Security Division and Legal Affairs Unit will review the accusations “to determine appropriate action.”
“As a State Agency, the Department of Correction does not condone discrimination against - or hatred directed towards - individuals or groups based on their religion, race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex,” Martucci said.
Marlak claimed the meme was “doctored,” according to a Department of Correction report. However, the same report notes that Marlak “provided no evidence” to back up the claim.
Marlak could not be reached for comment Friday.
Under the DOC’s social media policy, employees are “free to express themselves as private citizens ... to the degree it does not impair the work of DOC or hinder its operation.” However, the policy also prohibits “speech that threatens the safety and security” of the public, the agency and all those in its custody.
The post was flagged by a Muslim colleague of Marlak’s in June 2019 and sent to department superiors for review.
“I find this post and comment to be highly hateful,” wrote Capt. Fahd Syed in an incident report dated June 17, 2019. “This post causes a major safety and security concerns which directly threatens and target the life’s for those that practice the Islamic faith.”
According to department records, Garner Correctional Institute Warden Amonda Hannah recommended that the complaint be investigated by the department’s Security Division, however no investigation ever took place.
The department’s Office of Legal Affairs concluded Marlak’s post didn’t violate their social media policy, “as there was no sufficient connection to work,” according to department report. As a result, no formal investigation was conducted, the report said.
But Memon called the department’s explanation “insufficient.”
“Imagine if you will that a Correctional Officer had posted a picture of lynched Black Americans and labeled it ‘African Wind Chimes’ or one of Jews killed in the Holocaust and labelled it ‘Jewish Wind Chimes.’ There is no doubt in my mind that in those circumstances CO Marlak’s employment would have been immediately terminated because it indicates a mindset of prejudice that threatens the safety and security of inmates who are under CO Marlak’s care,” Memon said.
The department later launched an internal investigation after incidents involving Marlak and two Muslim colleagues in March 2020.
The incidents date back to October 2019 when Marlak’s meme was reposted by Nderim Belica, a Muslim colleague, who condemned Marlak for his “bigotry” in the attached comments.
The reposting led to a back-and-forth online between Marlak and Belica, which later led Marlak to file a complaint with Connecticut State Police.
“Approximately a year and half ago I posted a picture regarding ISIS, which could be construed as anti Muslim slander. I posted this meme without intention of offending anyone. I do not have issues with the Muslim religion,” wrote Marlak in the police report, dated Nov. 1, 2019.
In the report, Marlak accused Belica of making “false accusations” to try and “slander his reputation.”
But Belica told the investigators in an interview that he felt “the department did not do enough to protect Muslims.” He claimed the department was “negligent” in its response to Marlak’s post.