Boston Firefighter Fired After 'disturbing' Social Media Posts

BOSTON, MA — A Boston firefighter was fired for social media posts that the department and the mayor described as “disturbing,” the Boston Globe reports.

Octavius Rowe, who served for more than 15 years in the Boston Fire Department told the Boston Globe he was fired late last month. He said he plans to appeal the decision.

Rowe who has been part of an advocacy group for black and Latino firefighters told the Globe: “There is long and, I would say, storied battle with extreme, disparate disciplinary practices within the Boston Fire Department. And my case is just the latest in that line.”

In October Rowe was placed on administrative leave following reports of several questionable social media posts, including one depicting a man holding a bloody severed head with the caption "Nat Turner's Revenge." Other posts were captioned "I'm assuming that because this is sure to OFFEND some people... .. that I'll reported as an 'Anti-Semite' and promoting 'hate speech against protected classes.'"

In an open letter to Boston Fire Commissioner in October, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice along with the Boston Society of Vulcans, the advocacy group Rowe was a part of, raised concerns about discrimination when it came to disciplinary practices in the Boston Fire Department.

From the release in October:

"It is discriminatory for BFD to discipline Mr. Rowe for his social media activity while failing to discipline White firefighters for similar activity. Even a cursory investigation of other firefighters’ social media presence reveals a host of deeply problematic posts. For example, White firefighters employed by BFD have created racist and offensive posts that:

• Encourage “erasing” President Obama;
• Disparage Black football players protesting against police brutality; and
• Display a firefighter menacingly wielding an automatic weapon while wearing President Trump paraphernalia.

To our knowledge, BFD has not disciplined any of these White firefighters. Nevertheless, BFD has aggressively singled out Mr. Rowe for disciplinary action and inquiries into this social media activity. Minority firefighters should not be penalized."

The news of Rowe's firing comes as two other Boston firefighters are in hot water and are on administrative leave after both were accused of crimes. One was accused of sexual assault against a female firefighter in JP, another was accused of raping a child over a period of time, as Patch previously reported.

See the full article in the Boston Globe: Veteran Boston Firefighter Terminated

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Previously on Patch:

Boston Firefighter Accused Of Sexual Assault In JP Put On Leave

Boston Firefighter Accused Of Raping Child, Put On Leave

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File photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch