If you’re one of the thousands of people protesting the recent election, you’ll want to hold off on burning those New Balance sneakers. They’re not a bad company after all.
Under Fire
New Balance, a popular shoe and fitness apparel company, has been under attack for supposedly endorsing President-elect Donald Trump. Many protesters were seen burning their sneakers in the wake of the election.
https://twitter.com/milftears/status/796557820829175808
Shortly after Trump won the election, their Vice President of Public Affairs
said:
“The Obama administration turned a deaf ear to us and frankly, with President-elect Trump, things are going to move in the right direction.”
According to the company, they were referring to Trump’s opposition to the
Trans-Pacific Partnership. The TPP allows for trading between countries, which could result in jobs being outsourced.
White Nationalists
After accusations arose claiming the apparel company had supported Trump, a white nationalist group said it would be their
official shoes. New Balance responded with a
statement against hate while promoting jobs within the United States:
“We have been and always will be committed to manufacturing in the United States.”
Trump’s campaign rallies attracted many white
supremacists, and the Ku Klux Klan even gave their official
endorsement. Several
hate crimes have been reported since he was declared the winner.
Boycotting Trump
While people continue to
protest Trump’s looming presidency, there’s been a call to boycott any company that supports him. There’s even a ‘Grab Your Wallet’ hashtag on Twitter aimed at educating the public about
companies affiliated with Trump.
A week after winning the election, people across the country are continuing to protest. Several schools even witnessed walkouts by their
students, including one today where a student was
assaulted. After assaults on
police and
burning flags, protestors are being asked to be peaceful.
Watch this short video of a recent protest in Washington, D.C.: