Thread by @DeRay_Shawn

@retrofitness Hello, I need to reach out to you all about an racially antagonizing incident that happened last night at your Edison, NJ location. I just joined your gym last week and now I have no choice but to cancel my membership.

@retrofitness This is the #BlueLivesMatter flag hanging up in the middle of the gym area. My sister said this flag was never hanging up before but suddenly it is hanging on the day of #DerekChauvinTrial #DerekChauvinVerdict Why? Is there a subliminal message being communicated?

This incident happened last night and I called the Edison,NJ @retrofitness to resolve this issue and a woman who said she was in charge got very defensive with me and said that there was nothing wrong with the flag.

I told her that the #BlueLivesMatter flag is racially offensive and is used by white supremacist groups that attacked the Capital on Jan 6th. She doubled down and said the flag in question is to support law enforcement and "First Responders".

I brought up that that flag in question was never hanging there before and asked why was it hanging out on the day of the #DerekChauvinTrial #DerekChauvinVerdict . She became even more defensive and talked over me, repeating the same script of "supporting law enforcement".

I informed her that I felt uncomfortable and unsafe in that establishment as a American who happens to be Black due to that flag and what it represents. She said "I don't know what to tell you."

I informed her that I will have no choice but to cancel my membership since I could not ensure that I will be safe and comfortable at that location. She told me "Well you can't cancel over the phone and have to come to the gym to cancel in writing."

@retrofitness I wanted to bring this incident to your attention to address the racial insensitive and unsafe atmosphere. This location and its management seem to be promoting a racially antagonizing environment and most of us just want to work out in peace.

@UnrollHelper unroll

@retrofitness The woman who said she was in charge who I spoke with was very insensitive about my safety and feeling unwelcomed at gym. Despite me trying to inform her about the trauma and sensitive nature of #GeorgeFloyd and why the Blue Lives Matter flag is very problematic.