Rep. Ayanna Pressley has accused Walgreens of “divesting from Black and Brown communities” following the news that the pharmaceutical giant will be closing another store in a neighborhood in Massachusetts with a large number of people from those ethnic backgrounds, The Hill reports.

Addressing the matter during a speech on the House floor, the Democratic lawmaker said the closing of stores in communities of color is intentional. The latest closing took place in Roxbury which is 85 percent Black and Latino.

“When a Walgreens leaves a neighborhood, they disrupt the entire community and they take with them baby formula, diapers, asthma inhalers, life-saving medications, and, of course, jobs,” Pressley said.“These closures are not arbitrary and they are not innocent. They are life-threatening acts of racial and economic discrimination.”

“Why was there no community input? No adequate notice to customers? And no transition resources to prevent gaps in health care?” “Shame on you, Walgreens,” Pressley continued.

Due to low profits, Walgreens announced in June that it would be closing 150 stores around the country and 300 locations in the United Kingdom, CNN reported.

In early January,  Pressley along with  Massachusetts Democratic Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren penned a letter to Tim Wentworth, the CEO of Walgreens arguing that the stores closing in their state were taking place in neighborhoods with a majority Black and Latino populations. 

According to the lawmakers, another Walgreens closing highlights the “issues of racial and economic discrimination” and it continues the long history of “pharmacy and food deserts and a lack of access to reliable transportation.”

“Walgreens claims that it is seeking to expand its efforts to provide health care,” the letter read. “The choice to close several Walgreens locations in neighborhoods that serve Black, Brown, and low-income communities in Massachusetts, and across the United States — without giving communities adequate notice and opportunity or alternatives to access — belies that goal and its stated commitment to serve the health of people across America.” 

According to a statement from a Walgreens spokesperson, customers were made aware of the closure on Jan. 1, approximately two weeks before it was set to close and signage was posted all around the location. Also, because of an unforeseen delay, the store moved the date back to  Jan. 31, and customers were given notice of the change on Jan. 29. 

“As a result of the current operating environment and our financial performance, we have had to make difficult decisions across our business including corporate headcount reductions, as well as store closures like Roxbury,” a Walgreens spokesperson said. “Roxbury’s closure was due to several factors including the cost of operating, low prescription volume, and low reimbursement rates.”

The spokesperson also said that the company will assist with the transition by helping customers with “prescription transfers and free same-day delivery on prescriptions for 90 days.”

“We are sorry for the inconvenience. We know that our customers and patients rely on our stores and trust our team members for their healthcare needs,” the spokesperson continued. “And, when we must close a store, it affects them and their community. Our priority is to ensure a smooth transition for our customers and team members during this time.”