Walmart is under fire after pulling shirts that read “Bulletproof: Black Lives Matter” at the request of the Fraternal Order Of Police.
The retail giant, however, refuses to cease the sale of other ‘Black Lives Matter’ merchandise at the request of the country’s largest police organization.
Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck Canterbury reached out to Wal-Mart CEO Douglas McMillon in a letter received on Tuesday, where he urged McMillon to stop selling Black Lives Matter and Bulletproof t-shirts that are currently being sold on the company website by way of third party vendors.
“I am writing on behalf of the membership of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you that third-party sellers are using your website to sell offensive shirts and sweatshirts with the slogans “BULLETPROOF” and “Black Lives Matter,” Canterbury wrote in a letter published by the Washington Post. “I urge you to prohibit the use of the Walmart name and website for the retail sale of these products.
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Canterbury went on to indirectly caution that the continued sale of the products by Walmart could potentially damage the FOP’s relationship with the brand, while suggesting that the creators of the merchandise were using the items to “promote racial divide” at a time when the country should be coming together in hopes of “peace on earth.”
In response to the letter, Walmart released a statement in which they agreed to cease the sale of the “BULLETPROOF” shirts but made it clear that they would continue to the sale of Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter and All Lives Matter merchandise.
“Like other online retailers, we have a marketplace with millions of items offered by third parties that includes Blue Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter merchandise,” the statement read. “After hearing concerns from customers, we are removing the specific item with the ‘bulletproof’ reference.”