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BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTORS PACKED THE PARKING LOT OF THE PARK AVENUE HY-VEE STORE IN DES MOINES TODAY. ����vlog’S CHRIS GOTHNER IS THERE LIVE THERE TONIGHT. THEY SAY THEY ARE UPSET ABOUT WHAT THEY SAY HAPPENED TO AN EMPLOYEE AFTER SHE ATTENDED A BLACK LIVES MATTER RALLY. CHRIS: THEY DO SAY THAT. THE STORE IS CLOSED RIGHT NOW AND HAS BEEN BOARDED UP FOR THE NIGHT. THE PROTESTERS SAY THE EMPLOYEE WAS ASKED TO WORK AT THE BACK OF THE STORE AFTER ATTENDING A BLACK LIVES MATTER RALLY. JASSMA’RAY JOHNSON ALLEGES SHE WAS TOLD BY A MANAGER THAT SHE WAS "HIRED TO WORK, NOT TO PROTEST." BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTORS SAY IT’S PART OF A BIGGER PROBLEM AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BOYCOTT HY-VEE IF THEIR BEHAVIOR CONTINUES. THEY’RE ALSO CALLING FOR RAISES FOR EMPLOYEES FOR WORKING DURING COVID AND CALLING FOR THE COMPANY TO END RACISM AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT. ����vlog SPOKE TO COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AND PASTOR ROB JOHNSON OUTSIDE THE PROTEST EARLIER TODAY. >> THIS IS ABOUT MAKING A STATEMENT. THIS IS ABOUT TELLING COMPANIES DO NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICANS. EMPLOYERS, DO NOT HOLD AFRICAN-AMERICANS BACK. AND IF SOMEBODY CHOOSES TO EXERCISE THEIR PROTEST, THAT’S THEIR RIGHT, WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH IT OR NOT. THAT’S STILL THEIR RIGHT. CHRIS: HY-VEE RELEASED A STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE ALLEGATIONS. THE FULL STATEMENT IS ON OUR ����vlog 8 MOBILE APP, BUT IN PART IT READS, "WE HAVE TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO SPEAK WITH JASSMA’RAY JAZZY JOHNSON TO DISCUSS HER SITUATION BUT TO NO AVAIL." HY-VEE ADDS THAT JOHNSON AND THE BLACK LIVES MATTER ORGANIZATION HAVE NOT BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMPANY UNTIL TODAY’S PROTESTS. THE CHAIN ALSO SAID SHE WAS ASKED TO WORK IN THE AISLES ONLINE SECTION FOR ONE DAY WHEN THE STORE NEEDED HELP. THERE WERE INSTANCES TODAY OF AT LEAST ONE PERSON TRYING TO DRIVE THROUGH PROTESTERS. THERE WAS ALSO AN INSTANCE OF SOME DEMONSTRATORS VANDALIZING A DES MOINES POLIC