Police chief resigns after threatening posts about Democrats, Arkansas mayor says

A police chief in Arkansas resigned after he made threatening posts targeting Democrats on social media platform Parler, the mayor said.

Lang Holland drew the ire of the community after posts from a Parler profile bearing his name and likeness claimed the presidential election had been stolen, and repeatedly called for violence against Democrats, CNN reported.

Holland was police chief of Marshall — a northern Arkansas city of about 1,300 people — at the time.

“Death to all Marxist Democrats,” one post said, according to photos posted to Twitter. “Take no prisoners leave no survivors!!”

Parler is a Twitter-like social media app that describes itself as “free speech platform” where users can “speak freely and express [themselves] openly.” It has grown in popularity with conservatives in recent months.

The posts circulated beyond Parler onto multiple social media platforms Friday. That evening, another profile purporting to be “the real chief” claimed the threatening posts had been made from a fake account and that Holland was a “protector of all citizens,” KATV reported.

Both profiles had been removed by Saturday, along with the Marshall police department Facebook page, according to the outlet.

On Saturday, Marshall Mayor Kevin Elliott confirmed the posts were made by Holland and announced that Holland had resigned from his position as police chief.

“The City of Marshall strongly condemns the actions of Mr. Holland in his posts to social media,” Elliot wrote in 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!”

Elliot said he’d received numerous calls from people who’d seen the chief’s posts on Parlor before calling a meeting with Holland, CNN reported. Holland’s resignation was effective immediately, Elliot said.

“The Marshall police force is here to protect and serve everyone,” he said in the statement.