A Pacific Sunwear t-shirt displaying an upside-down American flag against a black backdrop elicited an angry Memorial Day backlash from critics on social media, who viewed the shirt as “disrespectful” to the nation’s veterans.
A picture of the shirt went viral on Facebook after one shopper in Foley, Alabama photographed the shirt and vowed to boycott the store. The post and her sentiment were widely shared by other Facebook users, prompting Pacific Sunwear to issue an apology.
“Out of respect for those who have put their lives on the line for our country, we have decided to stop selling the licensed flag t-shirt and are removing it from our stores and website immediately,” the company wrote in response to fierce criticism on its Facebook page.
“We thank the men and women in uniform for their extraordinary service,” the company added.
All the Presidents' Looks: 9 Pictures of Commanders-in-Costume
During a State Visit, Queen Elizabeth II rides her horse in Windsor Great Park with President Ronald Reagan in the United Kingdom in 1982.Tim Graham—Getty ImagesWearing traditional Indonesian batik clothing, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders wave during a photo session prior to their meeting in Bogor, Indonesia in 1994.Koji Sasahara—APGhana's President Jerry John Rawlings, left, President Bill Clinton, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, both wearing the Kente traditional Ghanaian dress, and Ghana's First Lady Nana Rawlings, right, greet a crowd of over 200,000 people assembled in Independence Square in Accra, Ghana in 1998.Greg Gibson—APPresident Jimmy Carter, left, and Cuban President Fidel Castro wear a traditional guayabera in Havana on May 13, 2002. Gregory Bull—APPresident George W. Bush, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, wear traditional Chilean ponchos prior to the leaders' group photo at the 2004 APEC Summit in Santiago, Chile in 2004. Itar-Tass/APPresident George W. Bush speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, wearing Vietnamese 'ao dai' silk tunics, during the official photograph for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Hanoi. Vietnam in 2006. Jim Young—ReutersPresident Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn are honored by the Dagumba people with a gift of traditional attire in Tingoli, Northern Ghana in 2007.Louise Gubb—The Carter CenterPresident Barack Obama stands with China's Premier Wen Jiabao, center, as they wait to take a photo at the East Asia Summit Gala dinner in Nusa Dua, on the island of Bali in Indonesia in 2011.Susan Walsh—APBrunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, his wife, Peng Liyuan, and President Barack Obama walk before the ceremonial reception held for members of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Beijing on Nov. 10, 2014. Michael Klimentyev—AFP/Getty Images
