Retailer Pacific Sunwear, or PacSun, was on the receiving end of outrage Memorial Day weekend when the chain offered a T-shirt with an American flag flown upside down.
According to United States Code §176, “The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”
The upside down flag shirt went viral on social media, with people expressing anger at the California based retailer and spawned the hashtag #BoycottPacSun.
I will never shop at PacSun again. Pathetic…. #BoycottPacSun
— Sport Mile High (@SportMileHigh) May 26, 2015
@PacSun <~disgrace to this nation. Never shop here again and make sure others don't. #BoycottPacSun #MemorialDay pic.twitter.com/TO5Hm7tCYP
— JaneSays (@Grrrr43) May 25, 2015
Yep, never shopping at @PacSun again. Got too many military family members and friends to give this joke of store any money. #BoycottPacSun
— Jay Miller (@Jay33Miller) May 25, 2015
Actor James Woods joined in.
Please, every follower of mine, please #BoycottPacSun. Disgusting trashing of American Flag on Memorial Day. pic.twitter.com/Bzm7FT6B31
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) May 26, 2015
#BoycottPacSun Dear PacSun corporate scum, this is how the American flag is represented on Memorial Day. pic.twitter.com/cWftY6Mou1
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) May 26, 2015
With this growing movement, PacSun reacted quickly and announced they are pulling the shirt.
PacSun will stop selling licensed flag T-shirt. Full statement here: http://t.co/OURJbnDKfU
— PacSun (@PacSun) May 25, 2015
On their Facebook page, PacSun wrote:
As a retailer grounded in youth culture, PacSun values artistic and creative expression through the brands that we sell in our stores. Out of respect for those who have put their lives on the line for our country, we have decided to stop selling the licensed flag t-shirt and are removing it from our stores and website immediately. We thank the men and women in uniform for their extraordinary service.
-Pacific Sunwear, Inc.