Months of Anti-Racist Protests Against Atlanta Gas Station Push Owner to Sell

An Atlanta gas station owner is selling his business after being caught up in a local controversy over the racist treatment of customers in his store.

Beginning in mid-October, organizers protested outside of the ExxonMobil station for 66 consecutive days.

“We sent a clear message that we will no longer tolerate disrespect,” organizer Joe Jones told CBS46.

According to CBS46, the demonstrations began after one of the gas station’s clerks was captured on video saying, “I don’t give a [expletive] about the Black neighborhood.”

After the footage sparked backlash, the store’s owner Rahim Sivji apologized and fired the clerk. But Jones and others continued protesting against repeated racist behavior by the store’s employees and owner. {snip}

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With no end to the protests in sight, Sivji put up the gas station for sale, giving Jones the option to buy it.

“It got to the point where I’m thinking if I have to save my life or my store, I say the hell with my store, I want to save my life,” Sivji told CBS46, after he reportedly lost more than 70 percent of revenue as a result of the demonstrations. {snip}

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