Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Politics/National
NationalNews

Walmart Buckles to Police Pressure to Ban Sale of ‘Bulletproof Black Lives Matter’ Shirts

Posted byBy Kiersten Willis | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

Old Glory’s “Bulletproof Black Lives Matter” shirt (Walmart.com)

Walmart has agreed not to sell certain types of “Black Lives Matter” apparel online after the nation’s biggest police organization urged them to do so. Meanwhile, the retail giant is continuing to sell similar shirts in support of other causes, including Blue Lives Matter and All Lives Matter.

Chuck Canterbury, president and CEO of the national Fraternal Order of Police, wrote a letter to Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon on Tuesday, Dec. 20, asking him to remove the third-party T-shirts and sweatshirts designed by Old Glory that say, “Bulletproof Black Lives Matter.”

“I am concerned that allowing these articles to be sold in this way will damage your company’s good name amongst FOP members and other active and retired law enforcement officers,” Canterbury said.

He also pointed to efforts made by police organizations to unite police and the communities they serve, and said such apparel will harm potential connections.

“Turning a buck on strained relationships will not contribute to the healing process,” he added. “This should be a time for joy and no family who has lost a son or daughter, whether in the line of duty or in a tragic event, should have their pain turned into someone else’s profit.

The Washington Post reported Walmart buckled to the FOP’s plea in a statement issued late Tuesday night, saying it will no longer offer the “Bulletproof Black Lives Matter” merchandise but it will continue to sell other “Black Lives Matter” apparel.

“Like other online retailers, we have a marketplace with millions of items offered by third parties that include Blue Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter merchandise,” the statement said. “After hearing concerns from customers, we are removing the specific item with the ‘bulletproof’ reference.”

Executive Director of the Washington FOP Jim Pasco told The Post organization members brought up the issue over concern about anti-police clothing.

“There are a lot of people who feel too many guns are sold,” Pasco told the newspaper. “Why not speak out against things that might be seen as fomenting violence, rather than things that commit violence?”

However, Walmart is not the only retailer Canterbury fired off a letter to. On Wednesday, Dec. 21, the national FOP president sent a similarly worded note to Amazon Chairman and CEO Jeff Bezos. The company has yet to respond.

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top