T-shirts mocking Afghan refugees falling from a US military plane have been slammed online and described as ‘sick’.
The distasteful garments have been retailing online for £12 and depict Afghan refugees looking to flee from the Taliban regime who took control of Afghanistan, featuring the slogan ‘Kabul Skydiving Club, Est 2021’.
TShirt At Low Price is the company behind the t-shirts – In a blurb about the clothing, the sellers say the deaths have ‘officially become a phenomenon’ which has ‘gone viral on the Internet’.
It continues: ‘Two people – falling from the sky, out of the airplane, it hurts all of us. The shirt is originally not funny. It does have its own meaning in the political aspect, but in the end, it depends on how you feel about it!
‘For those who love Parachuting, Skydiving, those who love jumping from the airplane and experience the highest mood, this shirt is totally suitable for you to wear.’
In a tweet, Holly Dagres, an Iranian-American senior fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank: ‘As Afghans are fleeing and clinging to planes out of desperation, someone decided to capitalise on their pain and misery with this repulsive T-shirt’. It’s being sold on at least half a dozen t-shirt printing websites right now. Humans can be so cruel.’
As Afghans are fleeing and clinging to planes out of desperation, someone decided to capitalize on their pain and misery with this repulsive t-shirt.
It’s being sold on at least half a dozen t-shirt printing websites right now. Humans can be so cruel. pic.twitter.com/du5cCbD2QA
— Holly Dagres (@hdagres) August 18, 2021
Etsy has since taken the listing down, according to a spokesperson. Also, the website promised to monitor additional listings of the same design, saying such sales breached Etsy’s rules on violent items.