Atlanta’s civil rights leaders staged a sit in inside Philips Arena this morning (September 10) after Atlanta Hawks executives canceled a meeting with the group.
The civil rights leaders were supposed to be meeting with Hawks CEO Steve Koonin Wednesday to discuss the recent controversy surrounding the Hawks and co-owner Bruce Levenson, who is selling his share of the team after racially-insensitive e-mails he sent were made public.
According to 11 Alive, civil rights activist Rev. Markel Hutchins said the leaders arrived at their scheduled meeting time, only to be told the meeting had been cancelled. Several Hawks front office executives were at the NBA office in New York City yesterday, but it’s unclear if that played a factor in the meeting being cancelled.
Hutchins said someone from the Hawks public relations office called Tuesday night to say the meeting needed to be postponed, but the pastor said since Koonin set up the meeting, he would have to call personally to cancel. Hutchins said Koonin never called, so the group showed up, assuming the meeting was still on.
Here’s a better pic of sit in by civil rights leaders @PhilipsArena after @ATLHawks execs cancel mtg. #wsbtv pic.twitter.com/99ulkzkWo0
— Aaron Diamant (@AaronDiamantWSB) September 10, 2014
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