Pharmacy retailer Walgreens has been accused of “racism” for closing a store in the high-crime Boston neighborhood of Roxbury. This is according to Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), a member of “The Squad”, and in whose district the store in question resides.
In comments made on the U.S. House floor, Pressley pointed out that the impacted neighborhood is “a community that is 85 percent black and Latino.”
She continued: “When a Walgreens leaves a neighborhood, they disrupt the entire community. And they take with them baby formula, diapers, asthma inhalers, life-saving medications, and, of course, jobs.”
Hey @AyannaPressley, Your Voters Caused This! | https://t.co/WT3ykU2QEM
— Steve Ferguson (@lsferguson) February 1, 2024
Pressley did not mention if she had plans to fund armed transportation to and from work for store employees — or a military personnel carrier to serve as a shuttle for customers in the community. These would be necessary because Roxbury rates an ‘F’ for high crime, according to Crimegrade.org.
Those who have been long part of the Boston community know the Roxbury area well — as a place to avoid. Law-abiding citizens of any racial background dare not ride the Orange Line branch of the subway through Roxbury areas controlled by gangs. Stories abound of outsiders being approached by police – and warned not to linger. Crime, dangerous streets, and theft losses are likely the reasons Walgreens is abandoning its Roxbury location.
In a Boston25 News report, Walgreens stated that the factors involved in store closings include “dynamics of the local market and changing in buying habits of patients and customers.” The retailer will close more than 200 stores nationwide this year.
While specific reasons for the Roxbury closing were not given, Walgreens has closed numerous stores in Democrat states recently — and they have explicitly cited retail crime as a reason. In the San Francisco area, six stores have closed due to excessive theft since 2021. At one location, a fatal shooting occurred involving a store security guard.
Walgreens has stated that they will help impacted customers by transferring their prescriptions and records to another location one mile away and by providing free delivery for 90 days.
Rep. Pressley was joined by residents and other Democrat Bay State politicians in a recent protest against the closing, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey.
