NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — An assistant public defender in New Britain has been suspended with pay for allegedly distributing a "pro-Palestine and anti-Israel" newspaper at the courthouse.
Judge Richard Palmer, chair of the Public Defender Services Commission, said that Joshua Perldeiner was suspended with pay because he is believed to be the person who put copies of "The Red Clarion" in the waiting area at the public defender's office.
The incident is under review.
The paper featured a banner headline saying "From the River to the Sea!", a Hamas motto widely viewed as a call for the elimination of the Jewish state of Israel, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean.
The paper also made reference to 'Genocide Joe Biden" under the headline "Enemy of the People."
Palmer said the newspaper was not anti-Semitic.
Public defenders are not allowed to use their office to put any political agenda according to Palmer, who suggested that the issue was political in nature.
Chief Public Defender TaShun Bowden-Lewis sent out an email to staffers that said, “The CT Division of Public Defender Services has zero tolerance for any and all hateful and/or discriminatory conduct. This office will be taking appropriate action as required.”
The e-mail also said staffers could reach out to HR for support.
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