Arkansas police chief resigns after calling for 'death to all Marxist Democrats'
The police chief of a small Arkansas town has resigned after writing social media posts calling for “death to all Marxist Democrats” and saying he hoped certain Democratic leaders, including former President Barack Obama, would be “drawn and quartered.”
Marshall Police Chief Lang Holland resigned Saturday afternoon after it was revealed that he had posted offensive comments on right-wing social media site Parler, Mayor Kevin Elliott announced.
“Death to all Marxist Democrats. Take no prisoners, leave no survivors!!” Holland said in one post, ABC affiliate KATV-Channel 7 reported.
In another, Holland reportedly posted images of Obama and Hillary Clinton in prison uniforms with the caption: “I pray all those in that picture hang on the gallows and are drawn and quartered!!!! Anything less is not acceptable.”
He also posted QAnon conspiracy theories and repeated President Donald Trump’s baseless claim that the presidential election had been stolen.
Holland’s posts and accounts have been taken down.
(1/n) These are screenshots made from the Parler social media app, posts by Marshall, AR police chief Lang Holland.
“Death to all Marxist Democrats. Take no prisoners leave no survivors!”
“Throw water on them in restaurants. Push them off sidewalks.” @KATVNews#ARnewspic.twitter.com/oXCFrnJj6T— Viktoria Capek (@KATVViktoria) November 7, 2020
Elliott said he learned of the posts, which were also shared on Twitter and Reddit, when he received calls from concerned citizens in the community of 1,300.
Elliott told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he consulted with city attorneys and met with Holland, who apologized for his “profanity-laden” posts and resigned, effective immediately.
For a time, a new Parler account that appeared to belong to Holland popped up, and messages on it insisted that he was not responsible for the other account’s offensive posts. The person behind the new account claimed to be the “real Chief” and “protector of all people.”
But Holland eventually acknowledged that he was responsible for the threatening messages, Elliott said.
“The City of Marshall strongly condemns the actions of Mr. Holland in his posts to social media,” Elliott said a statement. “The Marshall community does not in any way support or condone bullying or threats of violence to anyone of any political persuasion! We condemn it! We are a welcoming community that is humbly working to build a bright future of ALL our citizens.”
(2/n) These posts made Friday night quickly circulated social media.
Since made, another Parler account was made under “Lang Holland” claiming to be the real chief, stating the other account is fake and did not represent things he stood for as a “protector of all citizens” pic.twitter.com/IPdbrh68s4— Viktoria Capek (@KATVViktoria) November 7, 2020
Elliott said he was surprised by the posts from Holland, whom he had considered a “hero” because of his multiple military tours overseas, according to CNN. The mayor told the Democrat-Gazette that Holland, who had been the police chief for two years, had been the town’s best police chief in 26 years.
Earlier this year, Holland refused to enforce a mask mandate to help stem the spread of COVID-19 that had been issued by Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, calling it unconstitutional.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
