US 2nd Largest Online Mall Says "Do Not Sell Trump Hats"

'MAGA (Make America Great Again)' hat symbolizing support for U.S. President Donald Trump
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Global online shopping platform Shopify has blocked the sale of 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) hats symbolizing President Donald Trump. This is a consequence of the large-scale violent protests by Trump supporters at the Capitol building.

On the 7th (local time), according to foreign media including The New York Times (NYT), Shopify announced that it had shut down online stores operated by Trump's presidential campaign or selling Trump-related merchandise. A Shopify representative explained, "These sites violated our policy that prohibits supporting groups and individuals who incite violence and threats."

On the previous day, the 6th, Trump supporters staged unprecedented violent protests, including storming the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. The clash between Trump supporters gathered to protest the last election results and police trying to suppress them has resulted in 4 deaths and 69 arrests so far, causing a strong aftermath. Notably, many protesters wore red MAGA hats to express their support for President Trump.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

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As a result, sites such as TrumpStore.com and shop.donaldjtrump.com currently hosted on Shopify are inaccessible. Attempting to access these sites displays a message stating "This site is unavailable." Consequently, Americans cannot currently purchase Trump-related products such as MAGA hats, Trump posters, and champagne glasses engraved with the Trump logo on Shopify.

Shopify, which has over one million merchants, is an online shopping platform that allows anyone to create an online store with just an email address and credit card. Last year, it surpassed eBay in the U.S. market by market share and market capitalization, ranking second in the industry after Amazon. Shopify has also shut down thousands of sites claiming to sell 'COVID-19 cures.'

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