A DeKalb County businessman has agreed to sell his gas station after a clerk was caught on camera yelling that he hates the Black community.
The incident happened in mid October at a Exxon gas station on Flat Shoals Road in east Atlanta.
A customer filmed the clerk yelling “I don’t give a f*&k about the black neighborhood, okay?” The incident caught the attention of activist Joe Jones who organized a protest outside the station that lasted more than 60 days.
“We sent a clear message that we will no longer tolerate disrespect,” Jones told CBS 46 News. The owner, Rahim Sivji apologized, but the protests continued because of alleged racist incidents at the same gas station in the past.
“It is, in fact, a privilege to get Black dollars,” Jones said.
Sivji told CBS46 he made the decision to sell the store because he feared for his life.
“They tried to put me out of business,” Sivji said in a phone call with CBS46. He added that he lost 70% of his revenue due to the protest.
“It got to the point over here where I’m just thinking either its — I have to save my life or save my store. I said, okay… hell with my store, I want to say my life.”
Sivji signed an agreement to sell the gas station with an option for Jones to buy it for $5 million.
Jones launched a GoFundMe page that raised over $2,000 of a $5 million goal.
He is pleased that the owner agreed to sell. “You know, this is a perfect opportunity to take this situation and try to promote, uh, a situation of Black ownership,” Jones said.
