Thread by @drgoddess

Twitter Family, I had a wonderful, peaceful trip with Black American women to Ghana, followed by a productive, solo artist retreat, only to return to the USA and see two Black women in my city of #Pittsburgh being brutally beaten by FOUR MEN @ExxonMobil! facebook.com/Bherring1430/v…

We are still gathering the facts; but based on what has been reported so far, one woman pumped $17 worth of gas⛽️ but noticed the pump was leaking. She went inside the @exxonmobil (at 2501 Brighton Street, 15212), to report it and was rudely dismissed by employees. #Pittsburgh

An employee claimed the woman had not paid. The situation at the @exxonmobil turned violent and at least four men of apparently foreign origin, are viciously beating two Black American women in the head, slamming and hitting them on the ground, etc. Completely unacceptable!

One woman, named Jamilah, is traumatized and still crying, as it is said she has never before been in a fight in her life. Now, she has the experience of being physically assaulted by four men. We will NOT tolerate this. Time to #ShutItDown at the @exxonmobil in #Pittsburgh!

Apparently, the @PghPolice came to the @exxonmobil Brighton Station and escorted the men out (but did not arrest them) and the two women were looked after by an ambulance that arrived. We find this to be an unacceptable response, especially with video evidence. #Pittsburgh

So, there will be a protest this morning, Saturday, Sept 21, at 7:45am at the @exxonmobil gas station at 2501 Brighton Street (at Marshall) on #Pittsburgh’s Northside. All in attendance are ready to #ShutItDown. We expect @billpeduto and @PghPoliceChief’s support for the protest.

Here are a list of some basic, common sense demands:

1. We demand that @PghPolice arrest the four men who mercilessly beat two women at their @exxonmobil gas station to be arrested and “escorted” to jail where they can get due process.
#BoycottonBrighton #ShutItDown #Pittsburgh

2. We demand that District Attorney @zappalaforpa, begin an investigation and PRESS CHARGES against all four men who beat two women customers at their @exxonmobil gas station. #BoycottonBrighton #ShutItDown #Pittsburgh

3. We demand that Mayor @billpeduto make an immediate statement condemning the violence against these Black women @exxonmobil and support the demands for an arrest & protect the protest, as we seek #climate change in #Pittsburgh for Black citizens. #BoycottonBrighton #ShutItDown

4. We demand that @exxonmobil immediately send an inspector to the reportedly leaked pump that was a source of the customer’s complaint and to remove the franchise of the business owners, clearly incapable of proper customer service. #BoycottonBrighton #ShutItDown #Pittsburgh

5. We demand an investigation into the citizenship of all four men, as there are rumors that some are undocumented workers and clearly do not know or care about the ways African Americans cleared a path for them to America, only to be brutalized by them, in return. #Pittsburgh

6. We know it will be hard, as American media tends to love sensationalism and racist depictions of Black women; but we demand @KDKA @Wpxi @905wesa treat us with our humanity regarding this horror. @NPR @democracynow #Pittsburgh #BoycottonBrighton #ShutItDown

This is just the beginning. The video started to go viral last yesterday and there is no excuse for the brutality. Thank you to Democratic Committee woman, @sloan_amber, @ConnectingKingV @APA_PGH, my State Dep @RepWheatley and City Councilman @RDLavelle for your work! #Pittsburgh

In Summary: Two Black women beaten by four apparently foreign men at their @exxonmobil gas station after she complained about a leaky pump for $17 worth of gas. Protest at 8am today! 9/21/19, 2501 Brighton Avenue! #Pittsburgh #BoycottonBrighton #ShutItDown facebook.com/Bherring1430/v…

Reporting back, we went to the Exxon station at 2501 Brighton Ave and they are shut down, we went to Zone 1 Police and the two sisters were taken care of by family, friends and protestors and are meeting with a lawyer now. #BoycottonBrighton #ShutItDown #Pittsburgh

We are now at the McKnight Road #Exxon to make sure they STAY shut down! Thankfully, the police are blocking the entrance so we don’t have to. Whatever works! #BoycottonBrighton #BoycottonMcKnight #Pittsburgh #ShutItDown

Also, apparently, @exxonmobil issued a statement that they do not own any gas stations in the US (anymore) but if so, then these signs need to come down! and we will still #ShutItDown! #BoycottonBrighton #BoycottonMcKnight #Pittsburgh

The McKnight Road location was shut down, then the manager reopened, so an even larger group came and we #ShutItDown again. The police told the manager to leave because it was a wrap and they were turning the gas off. It was a beautiful Saturday. #BoycottonMcKnight #Pittsburgh