SC mother of slain teen calls on community to boycott businesses
As community members in Columbia and beyond continue to reel a Richland County jury’s decision to acquit Rick Chow in the shooting death of Cyrus Carmack-Belton, the mother of the slain teen has called for a boycott on Asian-owned businesses.
“If we go into a store and they’re following us around, do not spend your dollar,” Nicole Carmack said during a rally at the statehouse Saturday afternoon.
Carmack was speaking of Alice Chow who, according to surveillance footage shown during Chow’s murder trial, could be seen following Carmack-Belton around a Shell gas station, watching his every move.
The 14-year-old was wrongfully suspected of stealing bottles of water before Chow and his son, Andy, chased him 130 yards from the store, which ended in fatal shot by Chow into the boy’s back.
“If they cannot support you, you do not support them,” Carmack said. “Our [sic] money should not be taken out of our community. We should be building our own communities the way that we used to (during the) Black Wall Street (era).
Countless people in South Carolina and beyond took to social media and also began calling for a boycott against businesses after a jury of 12 found Chow not guilty in the shooting death of Carmack-Belton.
Like Carmack, one video creator emphasized the importance of building Black businesses inside Black communities.
In support of the boycott, Carmack and Troy Belton — Cyrus’ father.
“Cyrus should be the last child that dies from a senseless murder based off of racial profiling, and being killed by racist people,” Carmack said.
