Racist ‘Black Lives Don’t Matter’ hat removed from Amazon

‘Multiple people reported it and racist material should be removed immediately,' says barrister Alexandra Wilson

(Amazon)

A trucker hat with the slogan “Black Lives Don’t Matter” has been removed from sale on Amazon after numerous complaints about the item.

Barrister Alexandra Wilson tweeted about the item at the weekend with a screenshot of it being sold on the website: “This is not ok. @Amazon why is this racist hat being sold on your site?

“Are there no checks in place? This is honestly embarrassing,” she continued.

One person responded, saying: “This is shocking. It is racist garbage and never should have got on your site in the first place.

“What are you going to do to make sure this sort of thing does not happen again?”

By Monday the item, which cost £12, had been removed from sale on Amazon.

But Wilson told The Independent: “It’s really disappointing that it took some time for it to be removed. Multiple people reported it and racist material should be removed immediately.

“Websites like Amazon need to have better checks in place for both their descriptions and photos because this isn’t the first time something like this has happened.” 

A spokesperson from Amazon told The Independent: “All sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who do not will be subject to action including potential removal of their account. The product in question is no longer available.”

Amazon’s own guidelines for sellers forbids the listing of products that “promote, incite or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious intolerance”.

It says: “We maintain these policies to ensure a welcoming environment for our global customers and selling partners to do business while offering the widest selection of items on earth. We promote trust and respect, as well as adherence to the law.

“We exercise judgement in allowing or prohibiting listings and we keep our global community of customers and cultural differences and sensitivities in mind when reviewing and making a decision on products.”

Amazon’s “Offensive Products” policies apply to all products except books, music, video and DVDs. This is a separate category.

Last month Amazon removed a listing  for a pair of shoes described as “n***** brown” after a complaint from Labour MP David Lammy.

The shadow secretary of state for justice said he came across the descriptor after attempting to buy a pair of shoes from the site.

“Just buying brown brogues tonight leads to this racist micro aggression”, he wrote “Is it 2020 or 1720? Please ⁦⁦Amazon take it down.”