Georgia mayor under fire for Facebook post comparing protests to ‘privilege’

The mayor of Bloomingdale, Ga., is under fire after claiming in a since-deleted Facebook post that the ability to protest is “privilege” and targeting people who receive government assistance or are unemployed. 

Mayor Benjamin Rozier made the post in a community Facebook group, Gossip Bloomingdale GA, NBC News reported. 

“Privilege is the ability to go march against, and protest against anything that triggers you, without worrying about calling out of work and the consequences that accompany such behavior,” Rozier said in the since-deleted post, NBC News reported, citing screenshots of the post.

Screenshots of the post on Facebook also appear to have been removed. 

Rozier also took aim at people “living on public assistance.” 

“Privilege is wearing $200 sneakers when you’ve never had a job. Privilege is wearing $300 Beats headphones while living on public assistance,” he reportedly wrote. 

“Privilege is having as many children as you want, regardless of your employment status, and be able to send them off to daycare or school you don’t pay for,” the mayor added. 

A spokesperson for the city directed The Hill to leave a message for the city administrator to get in contact with Rozier. 

The mayor declined to comment to NBC News when reached by phone Thursday, according to the outlet. 

The Bloomingdale City Council and administration said Wednesday it is aware of the post the mayor made and the “reaction by the public.” 

“The Bloomingdale City Council wishes to state collectively that this action taken by Mayor Rozier is his action and his action alone. We in no way condone or endorse any single or collective posts made by the Mayor,” the council said in a statement on Facebook.

Rozier previously drew public ire in 2018 after he commented on a video that has since been removed from Facebook of black man blocking cars in the road, according to The Savannah Morning News. The mayor called another commenter a “cotton picker,” according to the newspaper. 

Bloomingdale has a population of around 2,700 and is predominantly white, according to Data USA. 

The mayor’s comments about protests come as protesters have demonstrated nationwide over racial inequality and police brutality sparked by the police killing of George Floyd.