Walmart has announced that it would be removing its “All Lives Matter” merchandise from its website amid the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests.
The supermarket chain faced backlash after word spread that it was selling merchandise that included the slogans “All Lives Matter,” “Blue Lives Matter,” “Irish Lives Matter,” and “Homeless Lives Matter.”
Walmart says that despite the merch being from a third-party seller, they will be removing it from their site.
“We fundamentally believe all lives do matter and every individual deserves respect,” Walmart said in a statement. “However, as we listened, we came to understand that the way some, but not all, people are using the phrase ‘All Lives Matter’ in the current environment intentionally minimized the focus on the painful reality of racial inequity.”
All Lives Matter has been adopted by some, including far right-wing extremists, as a way to debase the Black Live Matter movement sweeping the nation.
This comes less than a week after the retailer stopped displaying the Mississippi state flag — which includes the Confederate battle flag — in its stores.
“We know the design of the Mississippi state flag is being discussed by various stakeholders,” Walmart said in a statement to CNN Business. “While the issue continues to be discussed, we’ve made the decision to remove the Mississippi state flag from display in its current form from our stores.”
This week, Mississippi passed a bill to remove the rebel flag from its state flag and commissioned a new flag in its place.
