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Jerrod Jones, a Black firefighter in Rochester, New York claims he was compelled to go to a racist occasion by his supervisor, whereas on the clock. Jones was shocked when he entered the “Liberal Smashing, Splish Splash Pool Get together.”
He instantly seen a cardboard cutout of Donald Trump on the door, Juneteenth flags displayed subsequent to buckets of rooster, and small reward luggage containing Hennesey and a Juneteenth commemorative cup.
He even claims that he tried to report the incident to his officers above him and nothing was achieved about it. The outstanding NYC couple answerable for throwing the occasion insist they’re not racists and had no concept how this stuff might be offensive.
Jones is now suing town of Rochester and the Rochester Hearth Division for $4.4 million.
Might this occasion have been one large misunderstanding? Or is that this a clearly racist act that was ignored by the Rochester Hearth Division? The Shade Room investigates…
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On July 7, 2022, Jones mentioned he was on-duty with 4 different firefighters, together with his white supervisor Captain Krywy, who informed them they’d be stopping off at a celebration.
Jones didn’t assume a lot of it till they obtained to the occasion, when he realized he was on the dwelling of rich NYC dentist Dr. Nicholas Nicosia. He mentioned there have been solely white individuals in attendance, making him the one Black particular person there.
Jones, nonetheless wearing his firefighter uniform, tells TSR Investigates’ Justin Carter that he was immediately uncomfortable.
The cardboard cutout of Trump and Juneteenth flags festooned round buckets of Kentucky Fried Hen had been prominently displayed, in accordance with Jones’ lawsuit in opposition to his employer.
His supervisor reportedly informed firmly informed him “no photos” after handing him a present bag containing Cognac, an alcoholic beverage and racist trope generally used to demean Black People, and a Juneteenth commemorative cup, in mockery of the vacation that celebrates the day when enslaved African People realized of their emancipation on June 19, 1865.
“I made a decision to talk up at present as a result of I’ve two youngsters that possibly in the future will aspire to change into firefighters, and I don’t need them to expertise what I skilled. I wouldn’t need your children to must expertise that (both)” Jones mentioned.
Jones added that there have been additionally garden indicators with pictures of Democratic lawmakers, and even a lady dancing provocatively whereas dressed up as a feminine county legislator.
His legal professional, Nate McMurray, mentioned that Jones later went to his battalion chief about it, however nothing was achieved.
“When Mr. Jones went to his commanders and he mentioned ‘that is horrible, are you able to handle this? Can we deal with this?’ They assigned him to work with that very same captain the subsequent shift!” Jones’ legal professional mentioned at a press convention this week.
In the meantime, the Nicosia’s, in an effort to clear their identify, held a press convention with their legal professional on August 23. They offered pictures from the occasion, nevertheless the images had been recreations and never taken on the precise occasion.
The Nicosia’s known as themselves victims of “cancel tradition.’
“I’m not a racist. I grew up in East Cleveland, it’s a really numerous group,” mentioned the dentist’s spouse, Mary Znidarsic-Nicosia, who claims to have been the one behind the occasion’s inception. “And I doubt you could possibly discover anybody in that group that would say that I’m (racist).”
Nevertheless, in the identical breathe, Mrs. Znidarsic-Nicosia made point out of a Twitter “parody” account that she operated.
The Rochester Metropolis Newspaper dug up that account with its deal with being “@HoHoHomeboyROC,” and it’s profile image containing that of a smiling Black particular person.
“What dem council of us been consuming? Lawdy. Take a look at dem. Days large as barns… even dat hand girl” one tweet from June 2022 learn.
The Twitter account additionally shared racist memes, together with one among a bunch of tribal African girls holding buckets of KFC.
Znidarsic-Nicosia went on to apologize to African People for the “parody” account, of which her legal professional Corey Hogan mentioned was “no query that it was racist.”
“There isn’t any query that Twitter account is racist,” mentioned legal professional Corey Hogan.
However the couple’s legal professional additionally tried to elucidate away a few of the different points at hand, specifically the occasion attended by Jones.
Hogan mentioned that the Nicosia’s like KFC, which is why they served it on the occasion.
“Is each one that pulls in to a KFC a racist?” Hogan went on to say.
He additionally claims that the Nicosia’s didn’t know that giving out little bottles of cognac was offensive, both, saying “a small bottle was handed out as a prize, no racism” when requested about it.
In truth, a tearful Dr. Nicosia even mentioned his household have change into victims after individuals began “driving previous our dwelling, honking their horns and shouting obscenities.”
“There have been individuals driving previous our dwelling, honking their horns and shouting obscenities,” a tearful Dr. Nicholas Nicosia mentioned. “Even when our youngsters had been simply taking out the rubbish. We’re not racist. You discover anybody who is aware of us, you wouldn’t discover it (racism).”
The Nicosia’s mentioned that they’ve been faraway from plenty of boards and plenty of of their sufferers and workers have since deserted them from their dental workplace.
Jerrod Jones and his attorneys have since filed a lawsuit totaling within the quantity of over $4 million in opposition to the Metropolis of Rochester and the Rochester Hearth Division, citing emotional misery.
In the meantime, Jones’ supervisor Captain Krywy, was initially suspended pending a metropolis investigation, however ultimately retired earlier than these proceedings started.
TSR Investigates explores chilly circumstances and particular curiosity information tales underrepresented in mainstream media.
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