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Apparently we shouldn’t think the horrifying photos of black protestors being hit with water from fire hoses in the 1960s are a thing of the past.
An Arnold, Pennsylvania mayor made several racist comments and posted about police unleashing water cannons on protestors demonstrating after the fatal police shooting death of Antwon Rose.
In a statement, Mayor Karen Peconi, apologized for her insensitive comment calling for “rioters to be destroyed by a water canon (sic),” reports WTAE.
—UPDATED: Criminal homicide charge filed against police officer who killed Antwon Rose—
“I love this community, I would do anything for the people here. I don’t take my position as Mayor lightly and deeply regret the comments I made on Facebook. It was never my intention to offend anyone, and for those who I offended I am sincerely sorry.”
But the apology comes a little too late. Peconi made first posted the comments on Facebook, which shocked people.
“I’m posting this so the authorities everywhere sees (sic) this … bring the hoses,” wrote Peconi.
“They don’t care about jobs for PGH … none of them work now. That’s how they can do this at 7 a.m. Very sad,” Peconi also wrote.
Then for the final blow to protestors she added a large photo of a water cannon.
“We need one of these for tomorrow,” she said about the picture.
Demonstrators were speaking out in support of Antwon Rose II, the teen who was gunned down by East Pittsburgh Police Officer Michael Rosfeld last week.
Rosfeld was charged with criminal homicide yesterday, reports CBS. Rosfeld shot Rose once in the face, once in the elbow and again a fatal blow in the back, as he ran from police.
—Black man finds “The N*gger Owner’s Manual’ at his job—
Councilman Philip McKinley said he was disgusted by the Mayor’s posts.
“I don’t believe it is something the mayor should be posting. Everybody has the right to demonstrate. Once this gets out there, I’m sure there are going to be a lot of people calling for something, an apology or a resignation,” said McKinley.