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| Walmart drops Confederate flag merchandise in wake of Charleston shooting | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| One of the United States’ largest retailers has announced it will no longer stock Confederate flags in the wake of the Charleston shooting last week. | One of the United States’ largest retailers has announced it will no longer stock Confederate flags in the wake of the Charleston shooting last week. |
| Walmart, the world’s largest company by revenue, will also remove all Confederacy-related items from its thousands of stores across the US. | Walmart, the world’s largest company by revenue, will also remove all Confederacy-related items from its thousands of stores across the US. |
| The decision follows South Carolina’s governor Nikki Haley announcement yesterday that she intended to remove the Confederacy flag from all local state buildings, where it still flies. | The decision follows South Carolina’s governor Nikki Haley announcement yesterday that she intended to remove the Confederacy flag from all local state buildings, where it still flies. |
| The Confederate Flag flies over the Capitol in South Carolina | |
| Walmart previously stocked a range of Confederacy-stamped merchandise, including t-shirts and belt buckles, but in a statement to CNN the company said it did not wish to “offend” anyone. | Walmart previously stocked a range of Confederacy-stamped merchandise, including t-shirts and belt buckles, but in a statement to CNN the company said it did not wish to “offend” anyone. |
| Walmart spokesman Brian Nick said: "We never want to offend anyone with the products that we offer. We have taken steps to remove all items promoting the Confederate flag from our assortment - whether in our stores or on our web site”. | Walmart spokesman Brian Nick said: "We never want to offend anyone with the products that we offer. We have taken steps to remove all items promoting the Confederate flag from our assortment - whether in our stores or on our web site”. |
| In the immediate aftermath of the shooting of nine African American individuals at the historically black Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston by 21-year-old Dylann Roof, who has confessed to the crime, debate gathered at the continued use of flags. | In the immediate aftermath of the shooting of nine African American individuals at the historically black Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston by 21-year-old Dylann Roof, who has confessed to the crime, debate gathered at the continued use of flags. |
| Pictures emerging on the internet show Roof waving a Confederate flag while holding a gun, fuelling criticism over the continued use of the flag from the American Civil War. | Pictures emerging on the internet show Roof waving a Confederate flag while holding a gun, fuelling criticism over the continued use of the flag from the American Civil War. |
| The flag, most strongly associated with the seven states that seceded from the north in favour of continuing slavery provoking the American Civil War, has become widely associated with racism. | The flag, most strongly associated with the seven states that seceded from the north in favour of continuing slavery provoking the American Civil War, has become widely associated with racism. |
| Many American commentators – including political figures such as US president Barack Obama and some presidential candidates for 2016 – have called for the flag to be retired to museums. | Many American commentators – including political figures such as US president Barack Obama and some presidential candidates for 2016 – have called for the flag to be retired to museums. |