‘They’re All Animals. I’m Tired of Dealing with Them’: Former Pennsylvania Assistant Fire Chief Charged After Admitting to Disturbing Racist Attack on Black Woman

Pressure is on a Pennsylvania community to sever all ties with a former assistant police chief and fencing contractor after he was charged for a racist verbal attack. State Senator Anthony H. Williams, who represents parts of Philadelphia and Delaware counties, joined the Delaware County Black Caucus and other community leaders at a press conference Thursday demanding the cancellation of any government contracts with J & P Fencing, which 46-year-old John P. Romano once owned and may still. Romano, of Delaware County, faces criminal charges, including ethnic intimidation, terroristic threats, harassment, disorderly conduct, and obstructing highways after the Nov. 21 confrontation with an unnamed Black woman. John Romano (Facebook/ Sharon Hill Fire Company- Station 9) According to the criminal complaint, he was loading trees onto his forklift while blocking traffic on a local road. The woman, caught in traffic caused by Romano, admitted growing impatient and honking her horn at the forklift. Romano, who is white, allegedly responded, “Who the f*** are you beeping at? Shut up b****.” The woman said she then tried to drive her car around the forklift. By then, according to investigators, Romano had jumped out of the forklift to confront the woman at ground level,...