Parkland student activist David Hogg is helping stage a "die-in" protest at a Publix Super Market location in Coral Springs, Florida. Why? The chain donated $670,000 to Agricultural Commissioner Adam Putnam, a Republican, NRA-supporting candidate for governor.
David Hogg have asked people to arrive at Publix at Friday at 4 p.m. and lie down on the floor for 12 minutes.
"We have to hold these companies accountable just like our politicians,” Hogg said ahead of the protest. “When they give half a million dollars to an A-rated politician, they’re not going to be advocating for their employees that go to Stoneman Douglas. They are going to be advocating for the gun lobby.”
The protest began with Hogg and other demonstrators drawing the outlines of 17 bodies out on the parking lot with chalk to represent the 17 people who were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Hogg, insisting the protest was not about the Second Amendment, told local news outlet CBS12 that he wants Publix to withdraw the donation money to Putnam and redirect it to the Stoneman Douglas Victims Fund.
"If corporate America doesn’t stand with us, the government won’t stand with us either,” he said.
Publix defended its history of supporting candidates who work in the community's best interest and regretted the backlash.
“We regret that some of our political contributions have led to an unintentional customer divide instead of our desire to support a growing economy in Florida," said Publix spokeswoman Nicole Krauss. “As a result of this situation, we are evaluating our processes to ensure that our giving better reflects our intended desire to support a strong economy and a healthy community.”
Parkland student Kyle Kashuv, who has been outspoken about his pro-Second Amendment stance, shared what he was doing instead of joining in on his classmates' protest.
While my classmates are busy wasting their time "fake dying" at @Publix, I am working on future campaigning for @RonDeSantisFL and @AP4Liberty. https://t.co/0kJDug92sf
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) May 25, 2018
Join the conversation as a VIP Member