BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Many are calling for the boycott of Rouses and Red Zeppelin after seeing a photo of store owners at the recent protest in Washington D.C.

#Boycottrouses is trending on social media after a photo surfaced online showing co-owner Donald Rouse, Sr. at a Trump rally where thousands of people broke into the U.S. Capitol.

Louisiana NAACP President Mike McClanahan is cutting ties with Rouses and encouraging others to do the same.

“We thought it was only fitting that we called off the relationship. We need to start understanding that our dollars have value,” McClanahan said.

Other Louisiana lawmakers are chiming in too.

Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu is telling his followers to “take note.”

State Representative Ted James says this about Rouses, “we had a good run but you won’t be seeing another dollar.”

It’s unknown if the Rouses were part of the riot that stormed the U.S. Capitol.

One of the photos appears to be taken right outside of the building, but in a statement, the grocery store owner says he was at the rally in support of President Trump and did not participate in the violence.

Donald Rouse, Sr. released a statement:

“I attended the rally yesterday as a supporter of the president and to be in our nation’s capital at the close of his presidency. I left before the violence began and was shocked and saddened to see it unfold on tv. I condemn the actions of those who unlawfully entered and damaged our hallowed institutions and threatened our public servants. Violence and destruction do not represent our country’s values, or the values of rouses. Though I am no longer involved in the day-to-day operations of rouses, that’s my family’s name on the building and my actions reflect on my family, rouses and this community I love so dearly. I’m horrified by the violence and destruction we saw yesterday and the pain it has caused so many. Our country desperately needs to come together to heal, and I will do everything I can to be a part of that process.”

Donald Rouse, Sr.

Another photo surfaced from that rally showing Cinda Vanmerrienboar, the wife of the owner of the popular Baton Rouge pizza restaurant, Red Zeppelin.

Social media is calling for their boycott too.

Ray Vanmerrienboer, the owner of Red Zeppelin, is saying his wife didn’t participate in any violence.

“I don’t know what she did wrong…. she was just there in solidarity,” Vanmerrienboer said.

When asked if he thought his business would suffer from the backlash and what he would say to those boycotting his restaurant Vanmerrienboer said, “it’s your choice do what you gotta do.”

Cancel culture was a big buzzword in 2020 and is still around in 2021.

Dr. Bryan Mccann is a professor at LSU and says he believes citizens are so adamant about not shopping at either establishment due to their rage.

“A lot of people on social media are also noting that if these were people of color it would’ve ended very differently, they’re seeking to make their views known with their money,” McCann said.

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