(CLEVELAND, OH, 7/1/2015) — The Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Cleveland) today called on the city’s Division of Police (CDP) to investigate whether a recently-promoted officer violated department policies by re-tweeting racist, anti-Muslim, anti-Obama, and pro-Confederate flag materials on Twitter.
Officer Frank Woyma, who was recently promoted from patrol officer to sergeant, has re-tweeted images of a Quran being flushed down a toilet and of President Obama’s campaign logo with the headline “This is a symbol of racism, I would like it removed from my country.” One re-tweet, with an image of a Crusader knight, is headlined: “I will turn back the Muslim hordes,” with the note “Join our fight to save America.”
[NOTE: Woyma’s Twitter account is @2495blast, an apparent reference to his badge number 2495.]
SEE: Screen Shot of Frank Woyma’s Anti-Muslim Re-Tweet
Woyma also frequently re-tweets materials produced by Islamophobes like Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer, along with a number of items seeming to reject criticism of the Confederate flag as a symbol of racial hatred.
- SEE: What “Tone” is Being Set by Cleveland Police?
- Cleveland Police Promote 40 to Leadership Positions (Photos)
In 2006, Woyma was accused of smashing a beer bottle over a man’s head during an off-duty incident. The City of Cleveland ultimately settled a civil suit filed by the injured man.
SEE: Cleveland Police Officer Smashes Beer Bottle Over Man’s Head in Warehouse District
“While Sergeant Woyma is re-tweeting racist and anti-Muslim materials on a private account, his clearly bigoted views can only serve to cast a negative light on the Cleveland Division of Police and harm relations with the community he is supposed to serve and protect,” said CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia Shearson.
CDP policy prohibits social media communications with the “potential to negatively impact the law enforcement function of the Cleveland Division of Police. . .whether the conduct or communications occur on-duty or off-duty.”
Shearson added that CAIR-Cleveland is a founding member of the Collaborative for a Safe, Fair and Just Cleveland, an organization seeking police accountability and reform.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
– END –
CONTACT: CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia Shearson, 216.830.2247, jshearson@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202.744.7726, ihooper@cair.com
Updated: 7/2/2015 8:13 AM EST