BOSTON (CBS) – The first recreational marijuana shop in Boston was looted Sunday night during riots in the city. The co-owner of Pure Oasis in Dorchester told WBZ-TV someone broke one of their windows and looters stole about $100,000 worth of cannabis.
“It felt like a gut punch you know because our place was pretty trashed,” Kobie Evans said.
The store became the first minority-owned pot shop in the state when it opened earlier this year.
Following a largely peaceful night of protests in response to the death of George Floyd on Sunday, a crowd of people turned destructive. Dozens of businesses were vandalized and looted in Boston. Police arrested 53 people.
“We are supportive of peaceful protesting and obviously this was not it. This was something that people took advantage of the peacefulness of it,” Evans said.
Pure Oasis is surrounded by security cameras and police are investigating.
“It was really a melee and all types of people. A coordinated effort to go after certain businesses and take advantage of a smash and grab operation.”
On Tuesday the line was long outside his business. Customers came to show their support and offer their sympathies.
“Very sad for him as a minority to be a victim of this circumstance,” Presley Obasohan said.
Another man said, “It’s real frustrating because people are out here representing one specific ideal and other people are tarnishing that ideal.”
Evans said since the incident, he has received an outpouring of support.
He also said it’s time for the community to come together, heal, and fight for social justice. “A young man lost his life in Minneapolis and I don’t know if we can address people who have a need to destroy property for selfish material gain. I think that that’s always going to happen,” Evans said.
