Black Conservative Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Equinox Sports Club Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES -- Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, a black conservative radio talk show host and Founder and President of BOND—a national nonprofit dedicated for the past 28 years to “Rebuilding the Family by Rebuilding the Man” and to improving race relations has filed a civil rights lawsuit against Equinox Sports Club Los Angeles after he was assaulted by an Equinox manager because of his skin color and support for President Donald Trump.
The attack occurred on August 11, 2017 after an Equinox employee overheard Rev. Peterson supporting President Trump during a telephone interview on the radio. The manager charged at and collided with the 68-year-old Peterson, terminated Rev. Peterson’s Equinox membership, and yelled “You Support Donald Trump” as he shoved a finger in his face. The manager explained to Rev. Peterson that “your kind” (which the manager clarified as “blacks”) must not support Trump because he is a racist, that Rev. Peterson is himself racist for supporting President Trump, and that Trump supporters are not welcome at Equinox.
“By terminating Rev. Peterson’s membership and failing to discipline its employees, Equinox supports the belief that Peterson’s skin color requires allegiance to a certain political party, said Peterson’s attorney, Anthony Kohrs. “If he chooses to think for himself, he must be punished.”
Kohrs filed a complaint on behalf of Peterson in the Los Angeles County Superior Court seeking damages for violations of several California hate crime statutes which prohibit businesses from discriminating on the basis of race and political views. The complaint alleges that Equinox prevented Rev. Peterson “from exercising his rights to full and equal accommodation at Equinox, to free speech without fear or threat of violence, and to hold and express conservative political views as a black man without fear or threat of violence.”
Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson is the Founder and President of BOND, the Brotherhood Organization of A New Destiny, a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to "Rebuilding the Family by Rebuilding the Man.” He is an author, media commentator, columnist, and national radio/TV talk show host on Newsmaxtv. BOND works to promote racial harmony with its media and community outreach efforts. BOND also holds weekly Church services, offers counseling, and a variety of character and leadership building programs. Media inquiries contact 213-804-1872 / 323-782-1980, or email [email protected] / http://rebuildingtheman.com