Walmart announced Tuesday it will stop selling “All Lives Matter” merchandise, noting it will put an emphasis on Black people and people of color instead.
What’s happening:
Walmart said “All Lives Matter” materials — often sold from third-party retailers — will be removed “indefinitely,” USA Today reports.
Walmart told USA Today: “We fundamentally believe all lives do matter and every individual deserves respect, 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.”
Walmart made the decision after hearing from employees who said they were concerned about the meaning behind the products, The Hill reports.
Walmart faced backlash on social media over selling the products, too, according to The Hill.
Some more context:
- The decision comes about a week after Walmart said the Mississippi flag — which includes the Confederate battle emblem — would no longer appear at its stores, too, according to the New York Post.
- Mississippi lawmakers voted to remove the symbol from its flag, too.