Strip Club Cancels Party In Honor Of Trayvon After Backlash

March 30, 2012 4:01 PM

GREENSBORO, N.C. (CBS Charlotte/AP) – A party at a local strip club scheduled in honor of Trayvon Martin was called off after a social media backlash branded the effort as insensitive.

According to the event flier, which has gone viral, the party at Bentley’s Lingerie Lounge — organized by outside promoters — was scheduled for this past Wednesday as part of their “We Like to Party Wednesdays” promotion.

The flier reads, “Justice: In Memory of Trayvon Martin,” just below an image of the dead teen. “Everyone free [before] 11 [p.m.] with an empty bag of Skittles.”

The bag of Skittles references the candy Trayvon was in possession of when fatally shot by neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman.

In addition to “the sexiest entertainers in NC,” the event would have also offered $3 Long Island and Blue Motorcycle drinks.

According to NewsOne, the owners of the Lingerie Lounge called off the event once they saw the flier, and the means by which the promoters tried to bring in clientele.

The Move Tonight, Inc., who organized the party, issued a public apology for what they considered to be a miscommunication.

“In lieu of the negative publicity surrounding an event that was being held in memory of Trayvon Martin at Bentley’s, we would like to extend our deepest sympathies and apologies to those offended,” the statement read. “Although we neglected to detail this on the flyer that was circulating promoting the function, all proceeds collected at the door were going to be donated to the NAACP’s Scholarship Fund.”

Additionally, the empty Skittles bags were going to be sent to the Sanford Police Department in Florida as a statement.

Zimmerman has told police he shot the 17-year-old on Feb. 26 in self-defense. Martin’s family claims racial profiling was behind the killing, which has become a national flashpoint. Martin was black. Zimmerman’s father is white and his mother is Hispanic.

Zimmerman has not been arrested, despite demands from black leaders and others that he be charged with murder or manslaughter. But a special prosecutor appointed by the governor is investigating, along with state and federal authorities.

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