Source: Antonio Blackwell / Screencap
A pair of Black men who were working on behalf of FedEx in
Georgia filmed an argument between them and a white customer that racially profiled them while they were simply doing their jobs. According to FedEx, the men were not fired by the company and are actually independent contractors, while an activist group started a GoFundMe on behalf of the men.
Antonio Blackwell shared a video via Twitter of the exchange between him and the customer after he and another man dropped off packages to a customer’s residence in Leesburg, Ga. According to the GoFundMe page, Blackwell and his coworker were threatened by the customer, who began filming them on camera prompting them to do the same in return.
From the
GoFundMe page started by GAFollowers:
All we did was deliver his package, he was in the house at the time. It was a quick stop and as soon as we were leaving he ran out his house cursing and threatening us. While we were looking confused we just apologized for being on his yard but he keep going on then kept saying he would whoop our black asses and then he told his wife to call the cops. That’s when he pulled out his phone playing victim and that’s when I recorded. Idk what the police did but I posted this video because we go through racism everyday on that route in Leesburg but he was the first one to actually come up and actually threaten us.
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Adding a new wrinkle to this story, FedEx issued a statement via Twitter regarding the incident and said that the workers were actually hired by a third party working on behalf of the delivery service.
“We are aware of the incident in GA that led to the release of two drivers employed by a service provider. We’re offering employment while investigating to ensure an appropriate outcome. We take seriously allegations of discrimination, retaliation, or improper employment actions,” FedEx said in the
tweet.
As the #BoycottFedEx trend grows and the GoFundMe moving at a rapid clip, folks on Twitter are asking FedEx pointed questions as to why they haven’t addressed the service provider that hired the men or taking a bolder stance on behalf of workers risking their health to get packages to people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
GAFollowers says it will split the money raised between Blackwell and the other gentleman Felinzay, whose last name hasn’t been shared.
Check out the reactions below from Twitter.
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Photo: Screencap/Twitter/GoFundMe
