Woman refused service for Black Lives Matter shirt at farmer’s market

 A civil rights activist says it was like turning back the hands of time when a woman was refused service at a city sponsored Farmer’s Market.



All the woman wanted was some fresh fruit and vegetables, but what she got from one vendor instead was a refusal to sell produce.



The woman was wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt.



City officials stepped in, forcing the vendor to leave, but the civil rights activist may call for a boycott of the Farmer’s Market.



The incident happened with a worker with Turner & Sons Produce and Nursery from Smithville.



“With everything going on in the world today with all the racism, killings and discrimination, I was appalled,” said La Vergne resident Gwen Anthony, who is also an activist with the National Action Network, a civil rights organization. She was not the woman refused service.



Anthony said she couldn’t believe if she was hearing correctly when she heard what happened.



“I can’t believe– here we go again, we are going back,” she told News 2.



Anthony said it was like turning back the hands of time.



“Are we still going through the same thing we went through back in the 60s?” Anthony asked. “We are not going back; we are going forward. People need to get with the times.”



La Vergne city officials confirm the incident happened. A city spokesperson told News 2, “The City of La Vergne was made aware after the incident. The City does not tolerate discrimination of any kind, and all people are welcome.”



The vendor was asked to leave and told they would no longer be welcomed. It was also the vendor’s first time at the market.