Protesters In NYC Demand Reebok Sever Ties With Rick Ross [VIDEO]
The issues many have with Rick Ross' date r@pe lyrics have moved from rhetoric and posturing on social media to real action. Yesterday afternoon, protesters gathered at the Reebok store in New York City to demand that the sneaker company sever ties with the Miami rapper.
CBS Radio reports:
Thursday (April 4), shortly after Ross tweeted a 69-character apology, a group of impassioned women and men gathered at Reebok's flagship store in New York City to protest the sneaker company's association with the rapper.So far Rozay has offered a pair of mea culpas that have done little to dissuade his critics. Although the song under fire, Rocko's "U.N.E.N.O.," was released back in February, the criticism for Ross didn't start resonating until a radio station in Michigan pulled his music. Ross appeared on New Orleans radio shortly thereafter stressing that he didn't condone r@pe and offered another apology, via Twitter, yesterday, about a couple of hour before the protest.
Members of Ultra Violet, the event's organizer, were holding boxes labeled with the number “72,000″
“These are 72,000 petitions signed by our members all over the country,” Shaunna Thomas, co-founder of Ultra Violet, told Radio.com. “They are also comments from people about why they feel Reebok needs to drop Rick Ross over his recent lyrics about drugging and raping a girl.”
The crowd of approximately 40 people cheered on two speakers, including Wagatwe Wanjuki, who offered her testimonial as a rape victim; and Sonia Ossorio, president of NOW NYC, who slammed Ross for his whimsical take on the topic.
“It is a hate crime to be out there making fun of, making light of, drugging and raping women,” said Ossorio. “It happens all too often in our culture.”
Yesterday protesters delivered their petitions but were not allowed in the store.
Watch video of the protest below.
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Photo: CBS Radio
