'I apologize to those who found them to be insensitive, and I apologize to the people of our city,' said Petal Mayor Hal Marx.
PETAL, Miss. -- Petal Mayor Hal Marx apologized Saturday that comments he made have caused so much pain to the city he leads and its people, but he denied his comments were racist, and said he won't resign.
Marx's comments earlier this week on Facebook and Twitter about Floyd's death drew local protest, and even national media attention. The comments prompted a storm on social media. Marx and his family also began receiving threats of violence and even death, he said. Marx said he regrets making the statement as it was written, but no one from the Board of Aldermen has said they found his words offensive in the past, even though they said Thursday in a censure of the mayor that some of his prior posts have been equally offensive.
"Resign and everything will be fine. But until then, if I have to come out here day to day, that's what I'm going to do. You messed up. You had a chance to apologize but you didn't. You're human. Everybody makes mistakes. I completely understand that." Marx's wife Mindy also spoke with the Hattiesburg American. She said her family is now living in fear. Their children, who have also received threats, have been told to stay away from the family home.
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