Hawks call off meeting with civil rights leaders

Civil rights leaders, already unhappy with the Atlanta Hawks, were upset further on Wednesday when their scheduled meeting with CEO Steve Koonin of the Hawks was canceled.

Rev. Markel Hutchins said Wednesday’s meeting was called off “at the last minute,” saying he received a call from Hawks spokesman Garin Narain on Tuesday night asking that it be postponed.

Hutchins said he needed to hear that request directly from Koonin.

Civil rights leaders asked for the meeting to discuss what they called the Hawks’ “disrespect for people of color.”

The request for a meeting followed racially charged comments by co-owner Bruce Levenson and general manager Danny Ferry of the Hawks.

The Hawks said Ferry has been punished but won’t be fired.