KENT, O.H. — Urban Outfitters is under scrutiny for a sweatshirt design perceived to be related to the May 4, 1970 shootings involving the Ohio National Guard at Kent State University.
According to company officials, the red sweatshirt, which appears to have fake blood stains, was supposed to be a part of “the sun-faded vintage collection” and was not intended to reference the shootings at Kent State.
Officials at Kent State however feel that the style of the sweatshirt is more than just a coincidence stating to Fox News, “We take great offense to a company using our pain for their publicity and profit.”
Urban Outfitters has apologized and removed the sweatshirt from its website “to avoid further upset”.
On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a crowd of demonstrators who were protesting the presence of the National Guard on the Kent State campus as well as the Vietnam War. The National Guard had been called to Kent, Ohio days earlier in response to protests and unrest surrounding the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam war.
