Employee's termination prompts protest at Charlotte pizzeria

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Protesters are vowing to be back after shutting down a Plaza Midwood pizzeria Monday night.

More than a dozen people packed the Pizza Peel in support of recently fired employee Andrew Woods.

Woods, who is an activist, said he was fired after a personal dispute with an opposing group on social media.

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Woods said the group started leaving negative reviews about the restaurant because he worked there. The former employee made it clear that the protest was not about his termination and instead about police officers being called to be present for the firing.

“I've been fired, I know how to take a firing, that's not the problem,” Woods said. “The problem is the weaponization of police against me as a person of color.”

After protesters arrived, CMPD officers were called to the restaurant.

Woods met with Pizza Peel management in private during the protest. Woods says management rejected his demands for Black Lives Matter signs at restaurants, donations to charity and more training for management and employees. Woods is promising to return to protest in a more intense manner.

Channel 9 reached out to the restaurant for comment but did not hear back.

Cox Media Group