STAMFORD, Conn. — More than 500 people have signed a petition calling for the removal of a stone marker at a Connecticut park that bears the name of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, citing the company's role in the opioid crisis.
The rectangular marker is set in the ground at Mill River Park in Stamford, home to Purdue Pharma's headquarters. Etched into the slab are "The Glade," naming a section of the park, and "Gift of Purdue Pharma."
Stamford resident Samantha Chiafalo started the online petition after the company pleaded guilty last month to criminal charges for its role in an opioid epidemic that has contributed to the deaths of more than 470,000 Americans over two decades.
"Purdue Pharma - yes, they're an employer here - but they're a stain on our community," Chiafalo told the Stamford Advocate in an interview this past week at the park.
Purdue responded in a statement, saying "we share people's concern about the opioid crisis and respect their right to express themselves."
The stone's installation came after Purdue gave a $50,000 gift in 2009 to a capital campaign of the park's governing board, which is set to discuss the petition on Monday.