Donny Larmann, a Waste Management employee, has been suspended pending an investigation
A New Jersey snowplow operator has been suspended and then promptly fired for intentionally blasting two Orthodox Jews with snow as he drove past them on Saturday in Lakewood, a local outlet reported.
On Sunday, Waste Management (WM), one of the largest sanitation companies in the US, said employee Donny Larmann was off duty when the incident was filmed and posted to his Facebook page, along with the comment, “This one’s for you JC.”
Abhorrent antisemitism - @WasteManagement employee Donny Klarmann (photo in thread) uploads a video of him on the job purposely lowering his plow shovel in order to plaster two Orthodox Jews walking on Shabbat with snow! pic.twitter.com/90Ny4Q5Ero
— StopAntisemitism.org (@StopAntisemites) January 30, 2022
“The hateful conduct depicted in this video is unacceptable and does not reflect the values of inclusion and diversity we hold as a company,” WM said on Twitter. “The employee is suspended while we investigate the incident, but we can confirm that this behavior will not be tolerated from any WM employee and we will not employ those who act in this way.”
In the footage shared on social media, Larmann is shown spotting the two men and powering on his plow’s blades as he approached them, brimming with laughter as it covered them with snow.
Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles told The Lakewood Scoop, which first reported the story, that the footage left him “appalled and shaken.”
“Not only was it cruel but it was also incredibly stupid and dangerous,” Coles said, noting that the plow could have propelled ice chunks that would have seriously injured or killed the victims. “I am glad to know our police department is taking this as the serious incident it is.”
The outlet noted that the clip was also posted on Facebook, and then deleted, by Brandon Ebbs, the plow’s passenger who filmed the video.