[T*]

Urban Outfitters has found itself at the centre of a social media storm after a “blood-stained” jumper appeared for sale on its website purporting to be from Kent State University - famous in the US for being the site of a massacre.

The university in Ohio was the scene of a shooting on 4 May in 1970 when the National Guard fired at student demonstrators protesting against military action in Cambodia. Four students were killed at the time and another nine were wounded.

The top, which was priced at $129 (£79), has now been removed from the retailer's site following an angry online backlash.

The description next to the sweater online read: “Washed soft and perfectly broken in, this vintage Kent State sweatshirt is cut in a loose, slouchy fit. Excellent vintage condition. We only have one, so get it or regret it!”

Twitter users roundly criticised the top for being in bad taste and one called it “absolutely disgusting”.

“If you need another reason to boycott @UrbanOutfitters how about this University of Kent massacre-themed sweatshirt?” wrote one user.

Another said: “Absolutely disturbed that @UrbanOutfitters thought #KentState jumper was a good idea."

Source

How vile.

[Jarrod]

Who would even buy that?!

[Shaun]

[Vanessa]

OMG! Who even thought that was a good idea?

[Brother Leon]

The biggest crime is how much it cost. FML. I do have a "blood" stained t shirt though, but it cost a tenner

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

mess

[MTVN]

I doubt they even considered the shootings when designing it tbh

[GiRTh]

Originally Posted by MTVN

I doubt they even considered the shootings when designing it tbh

|I think the opposite is true. They are known for their controversial items and this is just the kind of thing they'd do. I actually find it quite disturbing that company execs sat down and approved this item. They knew the controversy it would cause. Sickening.

[Kizzy]

Flip... too macabre :/

[Ramsay]

i mean...why

[lostalex]

I don't think it's really mocking Kent State, i think it's more a political statement against the government. Kent State happened a long time ago, and remember it wasn't really a school shooting, it was the National Guard that shot and killed students who were at a protest (a sit-in, think Occupy style protest), not just some crazy kid with a gun. It's not a "school shooting" in the way Columbine or Virginia Tech were.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by lostalex

I don't think it's really mocking Kent State, i think it's more a political statement against the government. Kent State happened a long time ago, and remember it wasn't really a school shooting, it was the National Guard that shot and killed students who were at a protest (a sit-in, think Occupy style protest), not just some crazy kid with a gun. It's not a "school shooting" in the way Columbine or Virginia Tech were.

A political statement? For $129? I honestly don't think the people that come up with this crap would have the sense to make a political statement.

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by Livia

A political statement? For $129? I honestly don't think the people that come up with this crap would have the sense to make a political statement.

maybe the blood spatters are hand painted?

[Niamh.]

Besides what it's representing it's pretty manky looking, looks like something you'd find in a skip

[Liam-]

When i first saw this, i saw it as some weird, artistic ode to how hard college life is, the proverbial 'Blood, sweat and tears' sort of thing, but it was completely misjudged, i don't think they would have put it into production, spend all that money on it, if they knew they'd have to pull it off of the shelves because people would get offended.
As a brand, they'd have too much to lose through purposely causing controversy.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by lostalex

maybe the blood spatters are hand painted?

For $129 it had better be Picasso who hand-painted them.

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Besides what it's representing it's pretty manky looking, looks like something you'd find in a skip

It IS manky looking! I wear better stuff than that to clear out my gutters.

[lostalex]

I think it's meant to be a conversation piece. Most people probably wouldn't even understand the reference because Kent State happened so long ago. It would be a good way to attract politically aware people at a party. I would wear it, but i wouldn't pay 130 bucks for it.