A poll worker in Memphis was fired after turning away voters who were wearing Black Lives Matter shirts

• A poll worker was fired after several voters who were wearing Black Lives Matter attire were turned away from a polling site in Memphis, Tennessee, last week, election officials said on Monday.
• Attire featuring political parties or candidates are banned from Tennessee polling sites, but Black Lives Matter clothing isn't prohibited.
• The poll worker told officials he believed Black Lives Matter was affiliated with the Democratic Party.

A poll worker in Memphis, Tennessee, was fired after turning away early voters wearing shirts that had the phrases "Black Lives Matter" and "I Can't Breathe" on them, election officials said on Monday.

Shelby County Administrator of Elections Linda Phillips told WMC-TV the poll worker was fired on Friday after several voters were turned away from a polling site in North Memphis last week.

Tennessee law bars voters from wearing apparel supporting political parties or candidates to the polls, but the law isn't applicable to statements tied to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Phillips told WMC-TV the election commission learned of the poll worker's behavior on Thursday and fired them after an investigation.

The poll worker, Shelby County Election Commission spokeswoman Suzanne Thompson told the Associated Press, thought "Black Lives Matter" was tied to the Democratic Party.

"This is not acceptable," Phillips told WMC-TV. "We covered this in training."

"He was given very clear instructions. He was given clear instructions the next day, and again didn't pay attention to them. So he was terminated," Phillips added in an interview with WREG-TV.

Officials do not know exactly how many people the poll worker turned away.

• Read more:
• Derek Chauvin, the ex-cop who pinned down George Floyd's neck, has been released from custody after posting $1 million bail
• Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the gun-waving St. Louis couple who threatened protesters outside their home, have been indicted on weapon and evidence-tampering charges
• Nearly 30 Confederate monuments have been protected in the US as anti-racism activists call for them to be dismantled
• The Texas cop who shot Black man Jonathan Price — who family say was breaking up a fight — has been charged with murder