A police chief in Indiana ordered a sergeant to be put on administrative leave after he declared on Facebook that “we ought to nuke China”.
Sgt. Bradley Newman of the Terre Haute Police Department made the remark on his personal Facebook page in reaction to the coronavirus, reports the Trib Star.
“Is it just me or does anyone think we ought to nuke China. This virus wasn’t an accident. Kind of tired of the United States allowing people to walk all over us then wondering why people don’t look at us as a superpower. China needs to be held accountable!” he wrote.
Newman also serves as Vigo County Clerk, an elected position.
While it is inappropriate for me to comment on an ongoing investigation, I will unequivocally state that the posts presented to me in these complaints do not reflect my personal values, those of the Terre Haute Police Department, or the City of Terre Haute,“ Chief Shawn Keen said in a statement to WTHI-TV10.
According to The Daily Dot, Newman also made a comparison to the US response to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
“When Japan attacked us at Pearl Harbor we handled that at Hiroshima and Nagasaki! This has gone on for almost a year. Just my two cents but it’s time to send a message that this isn’t acceptable. Bombs away!” he continued.
Newman doubled down on his remarks when a commenter asked him if he was really serious.
“Absolutely, smoke em,” the Daily Dot reported Newman responded.
Dominique Morefield, a founder of The Reform Movement of Terre Haute, called Newman’s comments “racist and xenophobic.”
“Who knows what he’s doing out on the job,” Morefield said to the Trib Star. “It’s very clear he has a bias, so is he targeting Asian Americans or those he deems look of Asian descent? How is his bias affecting his job?”
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