N.J. corrections officer suspended for allegedly mocking George Floyd’s death
Another man involved in the incident Monday in Franklin Township, which had been videotaped, was a FedEx employee, the company confirmed. On Tuesday night, FedEx said he had been dismissed.
A New Jersey corrections officer has been suspended after video was posted online of two men — one kneeling on the other’s neck, apparently mocking the death of George Floyd — at a Black Lives Matter protest march on Monday in Gloucester County.
The other man involved in the incident was an employee of FedEx, the company confirmed. On Tuesday night, FedEx said in a statement that he no longer worked there because of the video. Earlier in the day, the company said the employee, who was not identified, had been removed from all work duties and the incident was under internal investigation.
“FedEx holds its team members to a high standard of personal conduct, and we do not tolerate the kind of appalling and offensive behavior depicted in this video. The individual involved is no longer employed by FedEx. A diverse and inclusive workforce is at the heart of our business, and we stand with those who support justice and equality,” the company said.
During the march, a small group of counterprotesters are seen on the side of the road in Franklin Township with a Trump campaign banner, several American flags and a variation known as the “thin blue line” flag, and a sign that reads: “All Lives Matter.” In a video shared on Instagram, the man kneeling is seen yelling at the protesters as they pass.
The New Jersey Department of Corrections said in a Facebook post on Tuesday: 'We have been made aware that one of our officers participated in the filming of a hateful and disappointing video that mocked the killing of George Floyd. The individual has been suspended from their post and banned from NJDOC facilities pending a thorough and expedited investigation. We thank the community for bringing this to our attention."
The department did not name the officer.
Gov. Phil Murphy addressed the matter in a tweet Tuesday night, calling the incident “repugnant.”
The Franklin Township Committee and Police Department also posted a statement on the incident: “The Franklin Township Committee and the Franklin Township Police Department are appalled and saddened by the revolting actions of certain individuals after Monday’s locally organized peaceful march. This is not who we are as a Community. We support the goal of this march, which is to spread awareness and to ensure a better future for all of us. Without an understanding and mutual respect for all individuals, we can never aspire to create a united community based upon the idea of human respect and dignity for all.”