Sunoco stops fuel deliveries to gas station over controversial billboard

WORTHINGTON, Pa. — A gas station in Armstrong County won’t be receiving gas from Sunoco after its owner displayed controversial messages on a billboard down the road.

Sunoco has stopped fuel deliveries to the Worthington station after its owner, John Placek, displayed the messages, including a racial slur on the billboard following the Michael Rosfeld trial.

Sunoco has also removed all signage and trademarks from the station.

A spokesperson for Sunoco sent us the following statement:

I can confirm that we have terminated our business relationship with this site. At Sunoco we believe racism and bias in any form are simply unacceptable. Those representing the independently-owned Sunoco branded sites are expected to uphold our values on this topic. These offensive billboards are unacceptable and do NOT represent our values and beliefs in any way, therefore we made the decision to terminate our relationship with this independent site owner.

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Channel 11 has been following controversy over the digital billboards.  Last month, Placek posted offensive messages during black history month.

Sunoco officials told TribLIVE they received complaints about the billboard on Twitter and responded to them throughout the week.

In a statement to Channel 11, Placek said he was trying to start a dialogue about racism.

"I can tell you I have major groups contacting me supporting my mission of making racism a major issue that must be dealt with. It is a grassroots movement. People are talking about it in the bars, in the hair salons,In the Barber shops in fact everywhere you go everybody is talking about my sign about my cause and this is exactly what I wanted to have - the conversation!"

Cox Media Group