An allegedly racially motivated hate crime is the talk of the Philadelphia Fire Department, NBC 10 News reported Tuesday night.
Slideshow: Hate Crime Hits Fire Department
A firefighter in Mount Airy said when he got to work last Friday, he faced a disturbing surprise at his locker. Lt. Joseph Montague, who is white, said he found a folded up pillowcase hanging on his locker, with the words "KKK" and "CAFFA" written on it, as well as a pair of eyes that were drawn on the pillowcase.
"I was scared," Montague said. "I was very scared. I kind of took it as a threat and a warning. The threat being we know who you are, where you work and we're watching you."
Montague is vice president of CAFFA, which stands for the Concerned America Firefighters Association, which is a group that opposes racial quotas in hiring.
"Unfortunately, some people perceive that as a race issue," Montague said. "Anytime race is involved and you're a white person, I guess you're automatically included in the Ku Klux Klan."
Montague has talked to the police about the incident, and a Web site where firefighters post messages have been abuzz.
According to NBC 10 News, one message read: "Discrimination and intimidation are the same, regardless of race. Now, let's see how this is dealt with."
Another message said: "Nothing will happen, except maybe an apology."
Fire officials would not talk on camera, but Commissioner Lloyd Ayres said, "I was notified of the situation immediately after it happened, and we are in the middle of a very serious joint investigation with Philadelphia police. We believe this is an isolated incident, and we will take appropriate action pending the outcome of the investigation."
The police department said they would not comment, because the investigation is continuing.
Ayres added that the fire department operates as a family, which is a sentiment Montague echoes.
"We each depend on each other for our lives," Montague said. "That's the way it is in the fire department."
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