Fake Facebook Account Directed Racist Taunts At Malden Officer

MALDEN, MA — A person who made hateful comments on several of the Malden Police Department's social media posts is believed to have used a fake account, police said.

The poster referred to "one of our African-American officers as an 'Ape,'" the Malden Police Department said in a statement on its Facebook page. The person is not believed to be from Malden.

Police said they support the right to free speech but will not tolerate hate speech.

"You can air your grievances about your expectations for law enforcement, but it crosses the line when those words attack an officer's race," the statement continued.

The department said it will ban users who engage in hate speech on its social media pages.