A liberal Facebook group that encouraged boycotts of New Jersey businesses, whose owners were believed to have supported President-elect Donald Trump, has shut down after intense backlash from the community.
The now-closed group, called Indivisible Blue Two Rivers, created a blacklist of restaurants, delis, liquor stores, children’s centers and more in Monmouth County that were labeled as “MAGA (Make America Great Again),” FOX, or Alt-Right Radio, ” rallied 435 members to avoid local storefronts.
Another list featured local “progressive” businesses that residents could patronize instead.
“When I found out about this, I was shocked,” said Jason Bauer, owner of Head Over Heels, a children’s dance studio in Middletown, NJ.com reported.
“I don’t often joke around on social media. It never ends well. But Head Over Heels’ position is that we are apolitical. We are a children’s activity center. That’s what we’re focusing on.
Bauer believes he was added to the controversial list because the previous owner supported Trump, and Eric Taliercio, owner of Taliercio’s Ultimate Gourmet Deli, believes he was called out. He said it was an interesting marketing tactic on Election Day.
Taliercio told the outlet that he offered customers who wore blue or red shirts as a reward for voting in the Nov. 5 presidential election. Afterwards, he said he received a text message from his friends saying he had been “blackballed.”
“It was definitely disappointing to be listed in such a negative light,” Taliercio said.
“I know this is a restaurant, and I know that politically my opinions don’t matter. They just sell food.”
Rob Osborne, owner of Richards Equipment Sales and Service, said he was not surprised to be on the list because he had held signs supporting Trump during the 2020 presidential election. . Although he remains a Trump supporter, the 44-year-old said his business is not doing anything to promote it.
Democratic New Jersey Sen. Vin Gopal said in a statement that the people who started the Facebook group were not immediately reachable and are now being harassed, and the police report has been filed due to increased online threats. added that it has since been blown away.
Mr Gopal, along with Republican senator Declan O’Scanlon, accused those attacking the splinter group and group administrators of provoking “neighbourly conflict”.
“We are better than this. I strongly condemn these divisive efforts to damage the livelihoods of Monmouth County small business owners and their employees over political differences. ” Republican Sen. Declan O’Scanlon said in a Nov. 18 Facebook post.
“Instead of ridiculing or demonizing our neighbors, we need to bridge the gap with communication and mutual appreciation.”
