Last Thursday, while waiting to be checked out at a Whole Foods register in Oakland, California, a Black man was brutally assaulted by a security guard. According to an eyewitness, the man was slammed against a concrete pillar, put in a chokehold until he passed out, and was then thrown out of the store. The eyewitness stated that Whole Foods employees called for backup after the assault, rather than calling for medical attention, while the man laid unconscious in a pool of his own blood.

Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of ColorofChange.org released the following statement:

“No one should have to face this type of violence while going to the grocery store and customers should not have to shop in fear of being attacked by violent and discriminatory security officers. There is absolutely no need for armed security to be present in any Whole Foods store. Whole Foods took an important step in the right direction by eliminating armed security from their Northern California locations, but that is not enough. As long as armed guards patrol Whole Foods’ aisles Black customers are not safe.

“This recent incident is a harsh reminder of the truth. Every 28 hours a Black person faces brutal violences at the hands of the police, security officers, and self-appointed vigilantes. Since June, at least five people have been shot and killed by the Oakland police. Just last week BART police were involved in yet another shooting of a Black man. And earlier this year, we saw Home Depot security tragically assault Yuvette Henderson who was then brutally killed by Emeryville police.

“These recent killings continue to underscore the growing crisis of over policing and militarization in the city Oakland that clearly has fatal consequences for Black and Brown communities. The presence of armed guards in Whole Foods is just one of many examples of Whole Foods concerning practices that threaten Black folks. The health food chain also uses highly exploitative prison labor to make their food products. They also found it appropriate to send water to the National Guard during the Baltimore protests rather than the students who were left hungry due to reactionary school closures.

We are outraged by the blatant disregard for Black lives and fully support the demands of the Oakland community who demand the disarming of all security guards at Whole Foods, an immediate public apology and compensation for the victim who was assaulted last Thursday, require on-going staff training on how anti-Black racism functions within customer service, and provide discounts and giveaways for EBT customers.

ColorOfChange.org will stand behind the Oakland community on September 10th as they picket Whole Foods to speak out against anti-Black violence: http://on.fb.me/1NgfY1V

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With more than one million members nationwide, ColorOfChange.org is the nation’s largest online civil rights organization.