Walmart Pressured into Discontinuing Racist Halloween Costume Sales

Walmart Pressured into Discontinuing Racist Halloween Costume Sale

October 28th, 2015 – [email protected] – The U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) is pleased that community pressure has forced Walmart to remove  the “Israeli Soldier Kids Costume” and “Sheik Fagin Nose” from their store shelves and website.  Earlier yesterday, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), joined by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and USPCN, initiated a call on Walmart, Amazon, eBay, and Sears Marketplace to remove the offensive and racist costumes.  In addition, social media was on fire with demands from Palestinians all across the world, and from our supporters, to discontinue selling them.

“The costumes are very problematic, and offensive to many people. The Israeli forces are responsible for the continued death and occupation of the Palestinian people. Such a symbol of fear, violence and a long history of dispossession should not be used for entertainment purposes,” said ADC President Samer Khalaf.   In regards to the “Sheik Fagin Nose” (right), Khalaf explained, “Selling merchandise which mocks Arabs, or any other race or ethnicity, must not be tolerated. These images do nothing but perpetuate racist tropes that have long been used to demonize, otherize and alienate Arab communities throughout history.”

George Khoury, a member of the Detroit chapter of USPCN, told the Arab American News of Dearborn, MI, that he was outraged by the costume (left).  “This is a symbol of militarism, of oppression, of apartheid,” he said. “That’s what’s abusing us at every checkpoint. Every time the settlers attack us, the soldiers who wear that uniform appear to protect the settlers.”

As of last evening, the items are still available on Amazon, eBay, and the Sears Marketplace.  USPCN will continue to support ADC in pressuring the retailers to remove the items immediately.