People Are Boycotting Publix. Here's Why
Pro-Donald Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, in order to disrupt Congress's certification of Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election, per the BBC. The siege resulted in the deaths of five people, and the effects of this violent protest continue to reverberate around the country. Law enforcement officials continue to arrest suspects in connection with the riots and Congress begins its second Impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump for his role in inciting the riots.
Recently, even the Florida-based supermarket Publix has felt the negative effects of the shocking event, according to the Wall Street Journal. Shoppers have decided to boycott the supermarket after it was revealed that Julie Fancelli — the daughter of Publix founder George W. Jenkins and heiress to the supermarket fortune — had donated around $300,000 to the pro-Donald Trump rally. Other notable donors included the far-right talk show host and conspiracy theorist, Alex Jones.
Publix denied any connection with the Donald Trump rally
The "Stop the Steal" rally was held at the Washington Ellipse on the morning of Jan. 6, and cost an estimated $500,000, per the Wall Street Journal. While no violence occurred at the Ellipse itself, the rally served as a critical starting point where many protestors gathered before launching the siege on the Capitol building. All together, Fancelli donated an estimated $1 million to the Republican Party and Donald Trump's reelection campaign in 2020, according to RT.
Fancelli released a statement, saying: "I am a proud conservative and have real concerns associated with election integrity, yet I would never support any violence, particularly the tragic and horrific events that unfolded on January 6th," via the Wall Street Journal.
Publix denied any connection to the rally or Fancelli's actions, explaining she is not actively involved in the company's operations. "Mrs. Fancelli is not an employee of Publix Super Markets, and is neither involved in our business operations, nor does she represent the company in any way. We cannot comment on Mrs. Fancelli's actions," the company said in a statement released to RT.