BLM Uses ‘Mafia Tactics’ On Cuban-American Business Owners… Who Fight Back

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Black Lives Matter has been caught using “mafia tactics” on Cuban-American business owners who are true patriots. BLM has threatened their establishments if they don’t agree to their ridiculous demands. Well, those business owners immediately fought back, making them regret it. You’ll love this.

Fernando Martinez, Cuban-Americans rally against BLM (Photo Credit: Facebook/ Twitter/Screenshots)

The Louisville cadre of Black Lives Matter activists sent a letter to many downtown businesses demanding they “diversify” their employees. But at least one Cuban-American business owner objected to the threatening tone of the letter and posted his displeasure on Facebook.

Fernando Martinez owns a restaurant group with several Hispanic eateries. He accused BLM of using “mafia tactics” and explained his position.

“There comes a time in life that you have to make a stand and you have to really prove your convictions and what you believe in,” Martinez wrote in a public Facebook post. “All good people need to denounce this. How can you justified (sic) injustice with more injustice?”

The response by Black Lives Matter was immediate. Several members stood outside one of the business owner’s establishments demonstrating their displeasure and confronting Martinez when he came outside to talk to them.

“If you and I can sit down as human beings that we are without screaming at each other, without calling each other names, without offending each other, we can come to an understanding,” Martinez told one protester after explaining that he felt threatened by the way the demands were delivered to his business. “How is destroying our business going to bring any justice?”

Only a few of the business owners who were recipients of the BLM letter are caving to the pressure. The “demands” include “employ more Black people, purchase more inventory from Black retailers and undergo diversity training,” according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

  • Adequately represent the Black population of Louisville by having a minimum of 23% Black staff;
  • Purchase a minimum of 23% inventory from Black retailers or make a recurring monthly donation of 1.5% of net sales to a local Black nonprofit or organization;
  • Require diversity and inclusion training for all staff members on a bi-annual basis;
  • And display a visible sign that increases awareness and shows support for the reparations movement.

After getting the word out to the Cuban community and other American patriots, a rally was held for Fernando Martinez and the other Cuban business owners. This community is refusing to be held hostage.

“At La Bodeguita De Mima on E. Market St, where members of Louisville’s Cuban community are gathering to show support for owner Fernando Martinez. He said he was threatened by BLM protesters, who sent letters to business owners in NuLu demanding to improve diversity in the area,” tweeted David Kim along with the video showing the rally:

Cuban Americans also brought signs that said: “We left Cuba because of socialism…be careful what you wish for,” also “No to socialism in America,” and “We are peaceful people…but don’t tread on us.”

Americans also blasted BLM for their mafia tactics. 

“I may be mistaken, but the letter didn’t just want to improve ‘diversity’ in this guy’s cafe. It also demanded Equity and Incl. workshops (i.e., ideological conformity), payment of 1.5 net to approved charities, and a visible sign indicating support for BLM and ‘reparations,'” tweeted “Lin.”

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. We have to unite now to resist this evil mafia tactics. Miami stand with you. I’m sure Union City does too.@TuckerCarlson@seanhannity@JudgeJeanine @realDonaldTrump,” tweeted “Et Sic Incipit.”

“Latinos from all communities have been attacked by these far-left BLM groups, banned business cars, and beaten Latinos in store packages and at bus stops. Republican conservatives are attacked by these groups. They are attacking the Latino community without pity,” tweeted Keira Craig.

“No to Socialists, No to Murderous and Obsolete Communism that is equal to State Terrorism, WE WILL NOT ALLOW DICTATORSHIPS OF ANY KIND, IF DEMOCRACY HAS TO BE PROTECTED WE WILL!” tweeted Twitter user “Marcos.”

What makes this case even more ridiculous is the BLM leader’s other reasons why she is targeting this Cuban community.

Over the last 65 years, this Lousiville neighborhood is where Cuban immigrants fleeing communism settled. They started businesses and made the area flourish. Phelix Crittenden is the BLM leader who claims the Cuban-Americans must pay for “gentrifying” the neighborhood.

She’s angry over a crime-ridden public housing building that was torn down. Crittenden claims the Cubans must “acknowledge the harm brought on Black residents when they were displaced from NuLu and the adjoining Phoenix Hill neighborhood during the demolition of the Clarksdale housing project in the early 2000s.”

This is plain extortion, and this isn’t how we reward legal immigrants in America. This is just another example of how BLM is a Marxist organization and why we must all vote out all of the Democrats who support BLM.

About Rebecca Diserio, Opinion Columnist 1557 Articles
Rebecca Diserio is a conservative writer and speaker who has been featured in numerous high profile publications. She's a graduate of St. Joseph High School in Lakewood, CA and worked as a Critical Care Registered Nurse at USC Medical Center. A former Tea Party spokesman, she helped manage Star Parker’s campaign for US Congress and hosted a popular conservative radio show where she interviewed Dr. Alveda King, Ann Coulter, David Limbaugh, and Michelle Malkin. A police widow, she resides in Southern California.