Jasper County firefighter accused of being a ‘Hitler sympathizer’ no longer employed
A Jasper County firefighter repeatedly called out by an anti-white supremacy group for social media posts attacking refugees and sexual minorities no longer works for the department, the chief of Jasper County Fire-Rescue said Friday.
Jasper County had come under criticism for hiring the firefighter, Jasper Daniel Alexander Collins, whose social media posts when he worked for a private emergency services organization in May had drawn the attention of Atlanta Antifascists. Collins, the group said, is a “known far-Right bigot and Hitler-sympathizer.”
On Thursday, Atlanta Antifascists denounced Jasper County Fire-Rescue’s “decision to endanger the community by employing a Hitler-sympathizer who has indicated that he will not protect all of the public equally,” the statement said. “Jasper County Fire-Rescue is also playing games with the safety of (his) co-workers, who may have to rely on (him) in risky situations.”
Reached by a reporter early Friday afternoon, Jasper County Emergency Services director Frank Edwards said Collins was a current employee of the Jasper County Fire-Rescue. Edwards called back later to say Collins was no longer employed by the department.
He declined further comment, saying he is unable to discuss personnel matters.
Atlanta Antifascists, which says it opposes “sexism, homophobia, anti-trans bigotry, and all other forms of oppression,” wrote in a May 2019 post on its website that it is “highly unlikely that (Collins) will protect all members of the public equally as a firefighter.” The antifascist group’s post also contained screenshots of what the group allegees are from Collin’s social media posts.
Thursday’s statement highlighted the posts, which include: a Facebook status the antifascist group says Collins made, “save bees, drown refugees;” attacks on sexual minorities; propaganda from racist organizers; and sharing the popular “Disaster girl” meme with the words, “when you’re tasked with protecting the public but the public a b****.”
The release says the group first “exposed” Collins in May when he worked for Chatham Emergency Services, a private company not associated with Chatham County. When reached by a reporter Friday, a Chatham Emergency Services employee declined to verify Collins employment, saying the company does not release any personnel information to media.
A photo on the company’s Facebook page from December 2018 appears to show Collins dressed in uniform standing in the middle of a group of Chatham Fire employees.
This story was originally published December 13, 2019 at 4:13 PM.
