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THE AUTO ZONE PROTEST IN YORKTOWN IS ON! 12-13-12 11AM-2PM Yorktown

ed

Founder's Club Member - Moderator
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from Philip...

You have to love this group. At 1:00 AM Monday morning I give a short 3-day notice asking for volunteers to do a protest during a WEEKDAY. We get over 20 volunteers in 12 hours, with more volunteers coming even as I write this!


THE PROTEST IN YORKTOWN IS ON!
This protest is about AutoZone firing an employee, Devin McLean, who put HIS LIFE on the line for fellow employees and customers by going to his car, fetching a handgun, and stopping an armed robbery in progress in the store.

AutoZone calls its no-firearms-for-employees policy "Zero-tolerance." I call it "Zero-intelligence." We want them to rethink that policy. We also want to educate the general public on what AutoZone did so the they might contact AutoZone and also consider shopping elsewhere.


TIME AND LOCATION
I moved the time up by one hour to catch more of the "lunch crowd."

Time: 11 AM to 2 PM
Date: Thursday, December 13, 2012
Location: AutoZone 2800 Hampton Highway (Hampton Highway and 1st Ave.)
Yorktown, VA

The AutoZone is in the Shady Banks Shopping Center and across the street from a Dairy Queen and 7-11.


PARKING / PROTESTING
There is plenty of parking in the area, but don't park in the parking lot around AutoZone.

I will be talking to the York County Sheriff's Department to clarify where we can and can't stand during the protest.

There is a sidewalk off of 1st Avenue partially in front of AutoZone - we will marshall there starting around 10:30 AM, at which time further directions will be given as to where you will be assigned to stand.

While protesting, we need to stay off AutoZone's property - but that should be pretty easy.

VCDL is having some signs made up to be carried. If you would like to bring some homemade signs, that is fine, but PLEASE clear the wording with me first so that we can have a unified message.

If you carry, and how you carry (open or concealed), is up to you.


WEATHER - NICE!
The weather is expected to be clear, around 54 degrees with a light wind. Be sure to dress appropriately. There is a 7-11 across the street and a Dairy Queen (bathrooms, refreshments).


MUST WATCH VIDEO! SHERIFF DIGGS IS GOING TO PRESENT DEVIN WITH AN AWARD!

FROM WTKR.com: http://tinyurl.com/an9l9wl

Sheriff says he plans to honor ‘AutoZone Hero’ for taking action against ‘Fake Beard Bandit’

Submitted by WTKR_Web_Staff
Thursday, December 6th, 2012, 7:56pm

Even the sheriff is calling Devin Mclean a hero.

“Devin was a brave young man,” he says.

“I mean, two people with guns, no shots fired and a robbery adverted is a good ending,” says Sheriff J.D. Diggs.

But not for Devin after AutoZone fired the Air Force veteran

They say he violated company policy.

While the AutoZone in York County was being robbed by the Fake Beard Bandit, Devin went to his car, got his gun and came back to confront the robber.

“I thought what a shame this guy has really gone above and beyond. I mean what else could you ask an employee to do for you?” says Diggs.

The sheriff is among thousands who believe AutoZone should review that policy.

Daniel posted on NewsChannel3′s Facebook page: “The employee was not breaking company policy until he feared for his own, and his manager’s safety. At that point, he left the store in order to save his boss’ life.”

On wtkr.com Doug wrote, “Shame on you for sticking to a corporate policy instead of making exceptions for heroic actions like this one.”

“Would he be wrong by not doing anything by taking no action? No, that’s an acceptable approach. I think that’s what AutoZone doesn’t understand. There’s more than one right answer,” says Diggs.

He’s even planning to honor Devin for taking action against this serial robber responsible for more than 30 robberies on the Peninsula over the last year.

“We plan on giving him an award, you know, a Sheriff’s Citizens Accommodation Award. We do that occasionally when a citizen does something above and beyond, and I think he stepped up,” says Diggs.

---
 
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peter nap

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Yep...saw most of that in the alert. It's a good cause.

Too short notice for me to reschedule though and the non VCDL member hunters that were planning to go, can't reschedule either.
 
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Old Virginia Joe

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SE Va., , Occupied CSA
Does today's massacre change the plan?

After what has happened today in Connecticut, does our plan for further protest change in any way? We need to be smart about how we conduct ourselves at this terrible time. Let us be very careful and deliberative.
 

peter nap

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After what has happened today in Connecticut, does our plan for further protest change in any way? We need to be smart about how we conduct ourselves at this terrible time. Let us be very careful and deliberative.

You may have a point Joe!
I'm not sure how they should change and I'll be hunting, but perhaps Philip will think of something.
 

Grapeshot

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You may have a point Joe!
I'm not sure how they should change and I'll be hunting, but perhaps Philip will think of something.

See both in the same light.

The penalty for being disarmed can be permenant.

Perhaps we could wear black armbands to express our feelings silently.
 

thebigsd

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Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
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Location
Quarryville, PA
From the VA Alert:

WHAT A GREAT DAY!

Below we have the story on yesterday's protest at AutoZone in Yorktown written by Amanda Kerr with the Daily Press and also a really great video taken by the Daily Press photographer. Both spent quite a bit of time at the protest.

We had over FORTY gun owners show up to line the sidewalk in front of AutoZone (on a weekday, in the middle of the day). We held signs saying:

AutoZone Fires Heroes!

Berma shave style:

1. Save a Life?
2. AutoZone fires you!

1. Stop a robbery?
2. AutoZone fires you!

I could not believe all the cars and trucks honking their horns and waving enthusiastically as they passed the group! All of us were surprised and elated. People were pulling into the mall to go shake Devin's hand. A few people passing by stopped to join the protest!

The AutoZone parking lot, for the most part, looked like a ghost town. I wished I had a tumbleweed to toss in their parking lot! ;-)

For those of you who couldn't make this one, you really missed a great event - the public support for a hero was clear and strong.

The Shady Banks Shopping Center, where AutoZone is located, was extremely nice to us and gave us specific permission to park in their parking lot and to marshall there. The Mall did ask us not to protest in the parking lot and we honored that request.

The 7-11 across the street was giving our members FREE coffee! When I learned of that, I walked over to thank them for their support and generosity. They, too, were supporting a hero.

Sheriff Danny Diggs showed up and talked with us for a little while. Standard Operating Procedure: several deputies were stationed in the area during the protest. They were polite and professional and, from their point of view, bored. ;-)


ON TO THE NEXT PROTESTS: SATURDAY

Tomorrow we have our protests in Colonial Heights and Hopewell - come out and join us! A reminder alert on the protests with addresses and times will go out later today.

From the Daily Press: http://tinyurl.com/ae4hkvt [VIDEO, too]

Gun group protests firing of AutoZone employee
By Amanda Kerr, akerr@dailypress.com
December 13, 2012

YORK — Nearly 40 people gathered outside an AutoZone store on Hampton Highway Thursday to protest the firing of a store employee for using his own handgun to confront a robber.

The protest was organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a nonprofit pro-firearms group. Philip Van Cleave, president of the Defense League, said the group wanted to support former AutoZone employee Devin McClean, who was fired following a robbery at the store on Nov. 16. McClean's story has gained local and national attention. McClean appeared on "CBS This Morning" on Dec. 8 and a Facebook page calling for the boycott of AutoZone in support of McClean has more than 9,000 likes.

York-Poquoson Sheriff Danny Diggs has publicly stated his support of McLean's actions. Diggs said in an interview Thursday that he plans to recognize McClean later this month with a Sheriff's Citizens Commendation award. He described AutoZone's decision to fire McClean as "flawed."

"I think what he did was a very brave thing," Diggs said.

During the incident McClean ran to his vehicle to get his Glock .40-caliber handgun, then went back in building to confront the suspect, who was also armed with a gun. The suspect fled without taking any money from the store. The same suspect is believed to have robbed the same AutoZone in September.

Investigators think the suspect might be the "fake beard robber" who is believed to have committed more than 30 robberies on the Peninsula in the last year.

McClean, who served two years in the Air Force, said his "military instincts" kicked in.

"I didn't know what he was capable of but I understood what I was capable of," he said.

A few days after the robbery McClean said a district manager fired him because of the company's zero tolerance policy banning employees from having firearms while at work.

An AutoZone employee at the store on Thursday said the company's policy was to give no comment. McClean said the manager who was at the store during the robbery as well as other employees have thanked him for his actions. He started a new job at a local construction company on Monday.

During the protest the crowd applauded when McClean arrived. Throughout the morning people were thanking him and calling him a hero. Some people even gave him cash.

"It's humbling to think this many people support me," McClean said.

"He did the right thing," said Yorktown resident Andy Anderson.

Anderson said people have a constitutional right to protect themselves and said AutoZone's policy was "constitutionally wrong."

Van Cleave said McClean "should never have been fired." He hopes the Defense League can put pressure on AutoZone to change its policy regarding firearms.

The Virginia Citizens Defense League is planning two more protests on Saturday at AutoZone stores in Hopewell and Colonial Heights, where the company has its district headquarters.
 

JoeSparky

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Quoted from the preceding post/news release:

"A few days after the robbery McClean said a district manager fired him because of the company's zero tolerance policy banning employees from having firearms while at work."

First:

IF the hero here had Clocked out as he left the building to get the gun he would still be employed at Autozone?

Second: Is there a way that one from a couple thousand miles away who want to support this protest to provide some support? Asked because I WANT TO SUPPORT THIS!!!
 

peter nap

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Quoted from the preceding post/news release:

"A few days after the robbery McClean said a district manager fired him because of the company's zero tolerance policy banning employees from having firearms while at work."

First:

IF the hero here had Clocked out as he left the building to get the gun he would still be employed at Autozone?

Probably would have been fired anyway Joe. In Virginia an employee works at his employer's leisure. You can be fired for wearing an outfit that doesn't match. There is no right to work.

Second: Is there a way that one from a couple thousand miles away who want to support this protest to provide some support? Asked because I WANT TO SUPPORT THIS!!!

Send Autozone an email!

///
 

JoeSparky

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Understand about the "work at the will of the employer" concept. Question ask was somewhat facetious but not labeled as sarcasm since I am not computer savvy enough to change the font colors on this forum.

As to the second response, I was hoping for a different reply but I can send the email ALSO!
 

Grapeshot

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Messages
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The AutoZone protest/rallies in Colonial Heights and Hopewell went quite well on Saturday, 12/15. 40 + people enthusiastically delivered the message that zero tolerance of our natural right to self-defense is not acceptable

Judging by the response from the local citizenry, they got the message loud and clear. Lots of hand waving and horns honking. People are getting the message.

Thanks to everyone that took time from their busy schedule and braved the chilly weather.
 

VaGunTrader

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Messages
215
Location
Dinwiddie, Virginia, USA
The AutoZone protest/rallies in Colonial Heights and Hopewell went quite well on Saturday, 12/15. 40 + people enthusiastically delivered the message that zero tolerance of our natural right to self-defense is not acceptable

Judging by the response from the local citizenry, they got the message loud and clear. Lots of hand waving and horns honking. People are getting the message.

Thanks to everyone that took time from their busy schedule and braved the chilly weather.

Enjoyed it !!!

Anyone have any pictures?
 
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