COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Allegations of antisemitic comments have cost a local firefighter his job.
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Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell said the department says the firefighter made those comments at work.
Cobb County Fire Chief Michael Cunningham told Newell he was able to promptly address it because his crew members brought it to his attention quickly.
A Cobb County firefighter is no longer with the department after other firefighters say they heard him make antisemitic statements at work.
Cunningham said his command staff wanted to fire the firefighter, but he resigned in lieu of termination during the appeal process. He’s been with the department for about two years.
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A statement from the fire chief says in part: “Behavior that undermines the trust of our community places in this department, or that fails to reflect the professionalism and respect expected of our members, will not be tolerated.”
The fire department didn’t say what the firefighter said, but his comments come as new numbers from the Anti-Defamation League show antisemitism remains at historically high levels across the country.
The ADL documented more than 6,200 incidents last year — an average of 17 a day. And while the overall number fell from 2024, physical assaults actually increased.
In Georgia, the numbers have risen sharply compared to just a few years ago.
ADL data shows 80 antisemitic incidents in 2022. That number more than doubled the following year and remained high in 2024.
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