Fed chair calls on Amazon to withdraw ‘offensive’ t-shirt

24 June 2020

National Police Federation chair John Apter says he is disgusted that ‘deeply offensive’ t-shirts with the logo ‘Blue lives murder’ are being sold on Amazon.

He has written to Doug Gurr, managing director of Amazon in the UK, to ask that he immediately halts the sale of the t-shirts which also feature a graphic suggesting police brutality.

“In recent weeks, we have rightly praised my colleagues for their outstanding bravery and courage and for saving lives. I was therefore disgusted to see these products being sold on an Amazon platform. These items are deeply offensive, not only to police officers but to many members of the public,” John explains, “I have raised this matter directly with the Home Secretary and she is as appalled as the entire police family is about these products.”

He adds: “The ball is now firmly in Amazon’s court and I am asking the company to do the right thing and remove them from sale immediately.”

Derbyshire Police Federation secretary Kirsty Bunn has welcomed the national chair’s actions.

“Police officers are quite justifiably outraged that Amazon is selling these t-shirts so it is good to hear that the Federation has called on Amazon to act,” she says, “These t-shirts are offensive particularly at a time when have been working tirelessly during the pandemic, putting their own health at risk while serving their communities.”