BAY HARBOR ISLANDS, FLA. (WSVN) - Members of a South Florida community came together to show their support for a suspended police officer.
Participants came together in front of the Bay Harbor Islands Town Hall to hold a silent rally in support of Bay Harbor Islands Police Cpl. Pablo Lima, Saturday night.
Lima had submitted an application to become the town’s next police chief. Two days later the department placed him on paid leave and opened an internal affairs investigation.
Lima is facing backlash for liking an anti-Muslim comments posted on Facebook by his wife, Halandale Beach Commissioner Anabelle Lima-Taub.
“The only thing my husband is guilty of is liking some comments that were in defense of me not being a racist,” said Lima-Taub in an interview with 7News, Friday.
Among his supporters at Saturday’s event was Linda Ziober.
“I’m very familiar with Corporal Lima. He is a kind, wonderful human being,” she said. “He supports everybody on the island, no matter what age — old like me, or young like the kids, and everybody in between. He is so kind that I can see where it hurt him, because his wife was hurting, so he was there to support her.”
Lima is currently on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation. He is one 35 candidates who have applied for the police chief position.
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