0
1
Parkland school shooting survivor and activist David Hogg is playing dead for a purpose.
The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student was joined by friends Friday as they staged a "die-in" protest inside a Publix supermarket in Parkland.
Hogg orchestrated the protest over the Florida grocery store chain's support for gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam.
Putnam, a Republican and currently Florida's agriculture commissioner, is a strong supporter of gun rights and referred to himself as a "proud NRA sellout" in a 2017 Twitter post.
In a statement sent out late Friday, the company said it would no longer make political contributions.
"At Publix, we respect the students and members of the community who have chosen to express their voices on these issues," Publix said in a statement. "We regret that our contributions have led to a divide in our community. We did not intend to put our associates and the customers they serve in the middle of a political debate.
"At the same time, we remain committed to maintaining a welcoming shopping environment for our customers. We would never knowingly disappoint our customers or the communities we serve. As a result, we decided earlier this week to suspend corporate-funded political contributions as we reevaluate our giving processes."