WETHERSFIELD, Conn. (AP) - A Connecticut prison guard accused of anti-Muslim bias has been placed on administrative leave.
In a letter written Wednesday to the chairman of the Connecticut Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, acting Commissioner Angel Quiros said Officer Anthony Marlak will remain on leave “pending the outcome of this high level investigation.”
“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,” he wrote.
The move came after CAIR earlier this week called for the firing of Marlak, citing posts on Facebook that included a meme depicting five apparently Muslim men hanging from nooses with the caption “Islamic wind chimes.”
The job action was characterized as a good first step, said Farhan Memon, the chairman of CAIR-CT.
“We appreciate the Commissioner recognizing the importance of this issue and that swift action was necessary to maintain the public’s confidence especially in light of news that extremism is growing in the law enforcement community,” he said.
Marlak did not return phone calls and text messages seeking comment. He has told Correction officials that the meme was posted in 2018 and targeted members of ISIS, not Muslims in general.
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