Urban Outfitters caused a uproar on Twitter when they put a Kent sweatshirt on sale for $129 via their website. The sweatshirt itself had blood splattered which brought back memories from the Kent State Massacre that took place back in 1970. The shirt came from a sun-faded vintage collection. The company says the bright red stains (which resembles blood) were “discoloration from the original shade of the shirt and the holes are from natural wear and fray.”
Kent State sent out the following enraged email:
This item is beyond poor taste and trivializes a loss of life that still hurts the Kent State community today.
We invite the leaders of this company as well as anyone who invested in this item to tour our May 4 Visitors Center, which opened two years ago, to gain perspective on what happened 44 years ago and apply its meaning to the future.
Urban outfitters has since issued an apology and the shirt is no longer available on the site.
Urban Outfitters selling what looks like a blood-soaked Kent State sweatshirt https://t.co/aGgolT139Q via @sarahrich pic.twitter.com/WC6t3TlwWo
— Matt Novak (@paleofuture) September 15, 2014
“As the guardsmen, moving up the hill in single file, reached the crest, they suddenly turned, forming a skirmish line and opening fire.
The crackle of the rifle volley cut the suddenly still air. It appeared to go on, as a solid volley, for perhaps a full minute or a little longer.
Some of the students dived to the ground, crawling on the grass in terror. Others stood shocked or half crouched, apparently believing the troops were firing into the air. Some of the rifle barrels were pointed upward.
Near the top of the hill at the corner of Taylor Hall, a student crumpled over, spun sideways and fell to the ground, shot in the head.
>When the firing stopped, a slim girl, wearing a cowboy shirt and faded jeans, was lying face down on the road at the edge of the parking lot, blood pouring out onto the macadam, about 10 feet from this reporter.”
Urban Outfitters issued the following apology:
Urban Outfitters sincerely apologizes for any offense our Vintage Kent State Sweatshirt may have caused. It was never our intention to allude to the tragic events that took place at Kent State in 1970 and we are extremely saddened that this item was perceived as such. The one-of-a-kind item was purchased as part of our sun-faded vintage collection. There is no blood on this shirt nor has this item been altered in any way. The red stains are discoloration from the original shade of the shirt and the holes are from natural wear and fray. Again, we deeply regret that this item was perceived negatively and we have removed it immediately from our website to avoid further upset.
