An Atlanta restaurant faces heavy criticism after sharing an offensive flyer with images of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks to promote an event.
On the flyer, the Civil Rights icons are posed in a sexually explicit manager. Atlanta entreprenuer, Arthur Watkins Jr., shared the flyer on his social media, expressing his disgust and outrage of the restaurant’s actions.
“I have just sent an urgent email to Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., regarding a derogatory misuse of Dr. King’s image at Mela Restaurant and Lounge in Atlanta,” he wrote.
He continued, “As a litigant with the American Freedmen Legal Fund and Freedmen Nation, I feel it is essential to inform her of this troubling display that undermines the profound legacy of Dr. King. The use of his likeness in this context is deeply disrespectful and warrants attention.”
However, on the restaurant’s Instagram account, it claims that their establishment did not make the flyers nor did they circulate the flyers.
“The owners of Mela ATL have no connections or support of the MLK party on Saturday January 18th,” they wrote. “We do not tolerate or support the idea of the flyer concept. Please stop tagging or involving us with the concept…We do not tolerate the disrespect that was posted on the flyer. We do apologize for the flyer going around with us unaware.”
In the past, the restaurant has been accused of using other images of Dr. King to promote events as well.