Protesters gather in front of Martin’s Super Market in Goshen

GOSHEN, Ind. – Several supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement held a protest outside of the Martin’s Super Market located in Goshen on Saturday.

Members of the group called ‘Showing Up for Racial Justice’ say they organized the event because Martin’s is not fulfilling their promises when it comes to believing racial justice.

The protest comes after a former Martin’s employee quit their job after they were told to remove a face mask that read “Black Lives Matter.”

This is the second incident of its kind that has happened involving a former Martin’s employee.

“We hear a lot about, you know, this is a trendy thing,” protester Jesse Moore said. “‘That’s why you guys are out here.’ We are not the first ones to do this. The abolishment of racism has been going on for years and years and years. And so we are just aiding our voices to the cause. We are waking up as young people and we’re putting our foot down.”

Protesters told ABC57 that reactions from Martin’s shoppers and drivers have been mixed.

Members of Martin’s corporate office were also involved in assisting the protesters, providing them with water and food.

Martin’s Senior Vice President of Retail and Merchandising Amy McClellan issued a statement on the protest, saying, “Today we welcomed peaceful protest, advocating for racial justice, outside of our store. We fully support the right to protest; to speak up and to seek justice. In pursuit of this, we are making space for anyone who would like to participate. We are also here to provide a safe space, free of vehicle traffic, for those that choose to participate. These are important times and important conversations that we must have.”

McClellan also emphasized that employees are prohibited from wearing any attire that displays a political statement.