The firm behind the T-shirts blames a computer error for the insulting slogans that promote violence against women
By Maria Caspani
LONDON (TrustLaw) – Online retail giant Amazon has removed from sale a T-shirt line with logos advocating domestic violence including "Keep calm and rape a lot" following a flurry of angry complaints.
U.S. firm Solid Gold Bomb, the maker of the infamous clothing line that also included messages like "Keep calm and hit her" and “Keep calm and knife her” issued an apology on Friday.
A statement posted on the company’s website by its founder Michael Fowler blamed a computer error for the insulting slogans.
"As the party responsible within our company for scripting and creating this automated process ... I apologise for the offensive response this has created across the world,” it read.
"No words can express how I feel about what has occurred and in no way do I condone or promote this serious issue,” Fowler said in the statement, adding that he will provide a more in-depth explanation of what happened and "why this occurred".
The T-shirts draw inspiration from the morale-boosting World War II propaganda slogan "Keep calm and carry on" that is a popular design on T-shirts, mugs and other items.
Amazon customers responded furiously to the appearance of the T-shirt line and the row quickly spread to the Twittersphere and other social media.
Many British politicians voiced their outrage at the offensive logo.
Former Labour Party deputy leader Lord Prescott said: "First Amazon avoids paying UK tax. Now they're make money from domestic violence."
“These are ridiculous, mindless products for anybody to attempt to sell. It is absurd to say they were manufactured in error,” said Conservative Party MP Caroline Dinenage, according to The Daily Mail.
And the shadow Culture Secretary Harriet Harman told The Independent that Amazon should give all profits from sales of the T-shirts to a women's refuge as an apology.
"Domestic violence and sex offences are not something people should make money out of," she added.
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