The Carolina Panthers announced Saturday night they were ending their business relationship with Charlotte-based CPI Security after the company's CEO made racist comments in an email. On Sunday, the Charlotte Hornets followed suit -- and so did the minor league Charlotte Knights baseball team.
In the statement, the Panthers said that they were committed to doing their part to end racial injustice and that the team felt it was right to end their relationship with the company.
Earlier this week in response to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and other acts of police violence against African Americans, Jorge Millares, executive director of Queen City Unity, sent an open letter to Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, the City Council and Marcus Jones, Charlotte city manager, calling for police reform.
Last Saturday, we said we are committed to doing our part and we mean it.
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) June 7, 2020
CPI Security has been a long term partner but, upon reflection, we feel that it is right to end our relationship.
We have informed Mr. Gill of our decision tonight.
Ken Gill, president and CEO of CPI Security, replied in an email to Millares saying, "A better use of time, would be to focus on the black on black crime and senseless killing of our young men by other young men."
Millares made this email exchange public and called for a boycott of CPI Security.
On May 30, the Carolina Panthers issued a statement saying in part, "We must work together and take meaningful, sustained action to find solutions and enact change that is so desperately needed to end racial and social injustice. We are committed to doing our part."
We are committed to doing our part. pic.twitter.com/pVWpoR4RPM
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) May 30, 2020
Gill apologized late Saturday, posting a statement on CPI's social media.
"I have listened to the feedback, and now more than ever realize the need for continued dialogue to help end racism within our community," he wrote.
But on Sunday afternoon, the Charlotte Hornets also announced they were dropping CPI.
Hornets Sports & Entertainment Statement Regarding CPI Partnership pic.twitter.com/V7EUYQ5u6a
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) June 7, 2020
Then, so did Charlotte's minor league baseball team, the Knights.
CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS STATEMENT pic.twitter.com/nn1yEVXbfN
— Charlotte Knights (@KnightsBaseball) June 7, 2020
"To me it really shows the progress that we're starting to make," Millares said Monday of the response from major organizations after he made the exchange with Gill public. "Now, don't get me wrong: 10 days of protest aren't going to solve all this. It's going to take a whole lot more pressure to make it happen, but it's very encouraging to see the reaction and how quick it was."
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