Online retailer Shein sells swastika necklace, backlash causes take-down

The necklace was of the Hindu swastika, which has different meaning, according to a company's spokesperson.

JULY 10, 2020 05:14

A man wearing a Swastika [Illustrative] (photo credit: CARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS) — A man wearing a Swastika [Illustrative]

(photo credit: CARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS)

Online clothing retailer Shein sold a swastika necklace on its site, but quickly took it down after it received backlash on Twitter.

The necklace, titled "Swastika," was priced $2.50. With many users expressing their disbelief at the fact that such an item could be sold by any company.

They literally just took it down, but not before my friend got a screen grab of it pic.twitter.com/Gr9GCyyEsg
— Steph Frosch (@ElloSteph) July 9, 2020

"In case u needed another reason to boycott Shein: they are selling SWASTIKA NECKLACES," One user tweeted. "This is ACTIVELY THREATENING to the Jewish community. I've seen you all posting about other issues but being silent on antisemitism - do NOT let Shein get away with this."

A Shein spokesperson sent a response to the New York Post, in which they tried to explain the reasoning behind the controversial item.

in case u needed another reason to boycott shein: they are selling fucking SWASTIKA NECKLACES. this is ACTIVELY THREATENING to the jewish community. i’ve seen you all posting about other issues but being silent on antisemitism - do NOT let shein get away with this. pic.twitter.com/gReEmW4Tyi
— ronit (@ronitk_) July 9, 2020

“For the record, Shein was not selling a Nazi swastika pendant, the necklace is a Buddhist swastika which has symbolized spirituality and good fortune for more than a thousand years," the spokesperson told the New York Post. “The Nazi swastika has a different design, it is pointed clockwise and tilted at an angle. However, because we understand the two symbols can be confused and one is highly offensive, we have removed the product from our site.”

The term for a counter-clockwise swastika is a sauvastika. The swastika was used as a symbol of the Nazi Party in Germany. Today, it represents the murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust at the hand of the Nazis.