Amazon faces backlash over ‘Blue Lives Murder’ merchandise

Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE.


Online e-tailer giant Amazon is facing criticism for allowing anti-law enforcement merchandise proclaiming “Blue Lives Murder” to be sold on the platform, in apparent violation of company policy.

Sara A. Carter reported Tuesday that the merchandise, which refers to police officers being killers, seems to violate the company’s policy that prohibits the sale of “offensive and controversial materials,” and that officers have begun canceling their subscriptions in protest.

Carter notes:

The sale of the t-shirts saying “Blue Lives Murder” was brought to the attention of this reporter by law enforcement, who said they will be canceling their Prime membership with the company over the decision to allow the inflammatory merchandise to sell on its website.

In one communication between a customer and an Amazon employee, which was posted on Facebook, the Amazon employee was questioned about the hateful material.

“Let me check. We stand in solidarity with our Black employees, customers, and communities, and are committed to helping build a country and world where everyone can live with dignity and free from fear,” the customer service rep was quoted as saying, Carter reported.

“As a part of that effort, Amazon will donate a total of $10 million to organizations that are working to bring about social justice and improve the lives of Black and African Americans. For more information, please visit the Amazon Day One blog.”

“Okay, so I’m going to take that as you don’t support our law enforcement,” said the customer. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll be sure to spread the world.”

“You have rights to do whatever you think is best but we are entitled for with this information,” the Amazon customer service representative responded, Carter noted.

BizPac Review contacted customer service online to report and inquire about the clothing item and was informed that the company was aware of the complaints and is conducting an “investigation.” The online customer service representative was respectful but did not have any further information.

The shirt appeared on the platform after the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd at the hands of police officers last month. Those officers have all been charged with crimes. The officer who pinned Floyd to the pavement for several minutes by his neck until he became unresponsive, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with second-degree murder.

Carter noted that Amazon’s policy regarding items being offered for sale on the platform says:

Amazon does not allow products that promote, incite or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious intolerance or promote organizations with such views. We’ll also remove listings that graphically portray violence or victims of violence.

Accusing police officers of being murderers appears to violate the policy.

“It is disheartening to see Amazon throw its hat into the arena and choose sides over such a volatile topic,” Chris Cabrera, Vice President of the National Border Patrol Council, told Carter. “There are over 800,000 Law Enforcement professionals nationwide. It is preposterous that the entire profession would be judged by the actions of so few. Amazon is free to support whoever they choose, however, it is possible to support [the] Black Lives Matter movement without alienating law enforcement as a whole.”

In an earlier interview with Carter, former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik pushed back against the Leftist narrative that there is “systemic racism” within police departments around the country and that incidents of brutality and murder are common. Other officers, including the head of the New York State Police Benevolent Association, Mike O’Meara, have also pushed back hard against that falsehood.

“Amazon, Apple, Google, you name it. You have those corporate leaders in America basically and the keyboard celebrities who get out there who are major influences to the young, they get out there and they put all this radical Left-wing propaganda out there and they get these kids to follow it,” Kerik told Carter.

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Jon Dougherty

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles