The Massachusetts city councilor wore a spa uniform to take a photo to provoke criticism from Asian-American groups urging him to resign

Last month, a controversial photo taken in 2019 returned to the public eye. The woman in the photo, Jadeane Sica, is a female member of the Massachusetts City Council. She wears an "Orchids of Asia" T-shirt, a bamboo hat and a bottle of lotion in her hand.

In the photo, Sika's husband, John Bernbaum, wears a New England Patriots sweatshirt, a Super Bowl champion hat, a large gold chain hanging from his neck, and a replica of the Super Bowl trophy in his hand.

Sika shares halloween dress up. (Image source: Screenshot of Jardena Sika Facebook)

According to NBC reported on the 16th, the two men's dress could not help but be reminiscent of the Patriots owner Robert Kraft in 2019 was accused of sex trafficking in the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida, and participated in "prostitution".

Although the charges against Kraft were dropped in 2020, the spa's owners and managers still face allegations involving human trafficking. In March 2021, a shooting at three spas in Atlanta killed eight people, including six Asian women, and the controversy ensued.

For Sika's Halloween costumes, Asian-Pacific activists in Malden, Massachusetts, renewed their call for Sika's resignation and marched in protest over the weekend.

The Great Malden Asian Community Alliance (GMAACC), a nonprofit group, said they were "shocked" and "disgusted" by the racist Halloween dressing.

"Leaders of the city of Malden will openly and unapologetically mock Asian residents in racist and alarming costumes without consequence," the group said in a statement. ”

Sika did not immediately respond to NBC's request for comment. As of press time, malden City has not commented on the matter.

In addition, after the Great Malden Asian Community Coalition publicly denounced the photo, the group said it also received email attacks of a racially hateful nature. Email screenshots show members of the group being asked to "drink bat soup" after commenting on Halloween costumes for city councilors.

At the Stop Asian Hate rally, organizers also said a protester had threatened to attack them and made hate speech. According to a video obtained at the rally, the man said, "Your people eat dog meat, and then let his pet dog run around at the rally."

On Tuesday (14th), the Malden Police Department has identified a 36-year-old male related to the incident. Authorities said the investigation was still ongoing.

Last month, Sika issued a statement on the social platform Facebook apologizing for the racist costume, adding that she "would do better."

Sika wrote in the post: "Since then, many people, including me, have become more aware that women involved in such cases are often vulnerable people in the Asian community, victims of exploitation. Looking back at the costume I chose on Halloween, it dawned on me that it depicted another culture that hurts. This outfit also did not match my public image and personal concepts. ”

For supporters, however, Sika's apology was not enough.

The Great Malden Asian Community Coalition said in a statement: "We need to see elected officials act behind the rhetoric. We don't think structural racism can be solved by what Sika calls 'regardless of skin color' and 'loving one another'. (End)