Our White Workers Are Victims Of A Hate Crime, Parsippany Tow Company Claims

Content warning: This article includes profanity and racist language.

PARSIPPANY, NJ — On video, an employee at the Ajaco Towing building used a racial slur in reference to a Black customer, which resulted in the Township of Parsippany ending their contract with the company. But members of Ajaco Towing claimed at Tuesday's Township Council meeting that their white employees have been victims of a hate crime.

The township announced Aug. 18 that it would terminate its contract with Ajaco — a day after the Black customer uploaded the video. But Ajaco Towing claims the news release contained incorrect information.

"It is alleged that not only did the mayor purposely supply wrong information for his own illegal purposes and personal political gain," said Paul Argen, a company spokesperson, "but by doing so, it became a bias incident, or a hate crime, in and of itself against the white people employed at Ajaco Towing."

Argen did not say Tuesday which information was inaccurate. But in a prior meeting with Patch, Argen said the company does not condone the behavior on the video, and he took issue with the following statement from the township: "We do not condone hateful behavior, nor will we allow any business to be done by the township of Parsippany with any business that condones this type of behavior."

Read more: 'We're Not Racist': Inside An Embattled Parsippany Towing Company

"The Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 forbids any race, including the white people, from being discriminated against," Argen said at Tuesday's meeting. "And the white people at Ajaco Towing, who have been receiving death threats daily, feel they are victims of a biased hate crime by the mayor of Parsippany."

Argen told Parsippany officials that Ajaco Towing wants to appeal the decision. He claimed that Township Attorney James Lott "refused" to schedule a hearing with Township Council.

Lott disputed the claim after Argen and Ajaco Towing Owner Jason Cleffi spoke at the meeting.

"You’re represented by counsel," Lott said. "I have a letter from him saying he represents Ajaco. He told me as soon as he finished his vacation, he would contact me."

On the video, an employee at the building stood in front of the entrance while the customer filmed from the parking lot. A police officer and two others stood in front of the employee as he says "I'll drop that motherf----r" and "go ahead, play the racial card."

As the employee makes his way inside, the customer filming says, "Woah, he called me a n----r."

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