Carrying Tiki torches, a group of white supremacists partake in a “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va. (Photo by Samuel Corum / Anadolu Agency / Getty)
Before a group of self-professed white nationalists went marching through the streets of Charlottesville, Va., espousing racist vitriol with Tiki torches in tow, the family-friendly fire-tipped poles were mainly associated with backyard barbecues and Hawaiian-inspired luaus.
Now, the signature torches are among a growing list of products and logos being used or endorsed by white nationalist groups, according to The Washington Post. Companies have since been quick to condemn the groups’ racist ideology in hopes of protecting their images and brands.
“TIKI Brand is not associated in any way with the events that took place in Charlottesville and are deeply saddened and disappointed,” the company wrote on its Facebook page on Saturday, Aug. 12. “We do not support their message, or the use of our products in this way.”
https://www.facebook.com/TIKIBrand/posts/10154458849046324
From New Balance tennis shoes to web hosting company GoDaddy, almost half a dozen name-brand corporations have been forced to publicly distance their products over the past year because of official and unofficial endorsements from white nationalist supporters, The Washington Post reported.
The Detroit Red Wings, one of the most popular teams in the National Hockey League, condemned the “Unite the Right” marchers in Charlottesville after protesters were seen carrying shields with replicas of the team’s logo. The image, slightly changed to incorporate Nazi symbolism, was the work of a Michigan group known as the Detroit Right Wings, CNN reported
Image courtesy of CNN
The NHL team issued a sharply worded response to its website and Twitter account Saturday, saying, “The Detroit Red Wings vehemently disagree with and are not associated in any way” with the Charlottesville protest, which was organized to challenge the removal of a Civil War statue honoring Gen. Robert E. Lee.
“The Red Wings believe that hockey is for Everyone and we celebrate the diversity of our fan base and our nation,” the team statement continued. “We are exploring every possible legal action as it pertains to the misuse of our logo in this disturbing demonstration.”
Earlier this week, GoDaddy put Neo-Nazi website the Daily Stormer on notice after it made disparaging remarks about Heather Heyer, the 32-year-old counter-protester who was killed after a white supremacist plowed his car into a crowd of demonstrators on Saturday. The web hosting company, which houses the website’s domain, told The Washington Post that such a post could possibly, “incite more violence,” which violates its terms of service.
Both GoDaddy and Google have since canceled the hate group’s website registration, The Los Angeles Times reported.
