North Carolina detention officer terminated over alleged ‘I am Antifa’ social media post

A sheriff’s office in North Carolina has dismissed one of its detention officers after he reportedly stated on social media, “I am Antifa.”

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced on Monday that Detention Officer Brian Edwards was terminated following the discovery of “concerning social media posts,” as indicated in an official news release.

On Friday, Edwards’ Bluesky account shared the message, “I am Antifa, and I will never comply with a fascist regime.”

After the post surfaced, Orange County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Tina Sykes put Edwards on administrative leave and initiated an investigation.

The sheriff’s office reported that the investigation revealed breaches of both the Standards of Conduct and the Speech, Expression, and Social Networking policies outlined in the manual.

Consequently, Edwards was dismissed from his duties at the sheriff’s office.

In an interview with WRAL, Edwards expressed his disagreement with how the sheriff’s office managed the situation.

“While I respect the sheriff’s office, I do not agree with the handling of my situation. I am now focused on moving forward and will refrain from commenting further,” Edwards stated.

Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood emphasized, “It is crucial for us to maintain public trust while we carry out our mission to protect, serve, and treat everyone with dignity and respect.”

In a post from February 2024, the sheriff’s office revealed that Edwards began his career at the law enforcement agency in 2022.

“Previously, Brian worked as a correctional officer at a state prison in Caswell County. While he held similar responsibilities there, his current role adheres to stricter regulations.”

The sheriff’s office noted, “Detention Center inmates possess more rights, as most are still awaiting trial and are not yet convicted. Brian understands the added complexities of this role.”

Fox News Digital reached out for comments from both Edwards and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.