FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Tyson Baker called the police during a dispute with a neighbor that went too far on Sunday in Fort Lauderdale.
After months of tensions, a video showed Allison Murphy shouting homophobic slurs and she lost her job because of it.
“She continued to say horrible stuff about how she was going to fight us, mess us up, damage our property,” Baker said.
The conflict escalated after Baker wrote a note asking his neighbor to stop parking on his grass and to clean up after their dog during walks.
Baker said Murphy’s father shouted homophobic slurs first.
“The father drove by the window and made sure to flip me off again,” Baker said, adding that his response was, “I am going to call the cops because I’m tired of you harassing me.”
Baker said Murphy’s father got out of his car and said, “He wanted to fight me.”
Murphy got involved after. Police officers didn’t arrest anyone and handed out pamphlets suggesting a restraining order.
After the video went viral, Valley Forge Fabrics released a statement saying Murphy was no longer an employee there.
“Once we were made aware of this incident, we took immediate action,” the statement said. Also adding, “Hate has no place here.”
Here is the company’s complete statement:
We are deeply saddened and disturbed by the homophobic comments recently brought to light on social media, which were made by a now-former employee of our company. As of this morning, she is no longer with Valley Forge Fabrics.
We want to be absolutely clear: the views expressed by this individual do not reflect the values of our company, our culture, or the principles we uphold. Once we were made aware of this incident, we took immediate action.
Valley Forge Fabrics is proud to be a company that stands for diversity, inclusion, and respect. We are committed to creating a safe, supportive environment for all — regardless of race, gender, sexual identity, or background
Hate has no place here.
To our clients, customers, team members, and community: we hear you, we stand with you, and we remain committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and respected and safe.
We understand that words alone are not enough. We will continue to actively review our internal practices to ensure that we continue to uphold the highest standards of accountability, inclusivity, and respect within our workplace.
Thank you to those who brought this to our attention.
Your voices matter — and we are listening.
Sincerely,
VALLEY FORGE FABRICS