NAPO Letter to Amazon re: “Blue Lives Murder” Merchandise Sold on Amazon

June 2, 2021

Mr. Jeffrey P. Bezos

Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer Amazon.com Inc.

410 Terry Avenue North Seattle, Washington 98109

RE: “Blue Lives Murder” Merchandise Sold on Amazon.com

Dear Chairman Bezos,

On behalf of the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), representing over 241,000 sworn law enforcement officers across the country, I write to you to condemn Amazon.com’s willingness to continue to allow police hate groups to use their businesses as platforms for dangerous anti-police propaganda such as “Blue Lives Murder” t-shirts and face masks. It is even more disgusting that a retailer such as Amazon would promote and profit off of such a violent message.

Today, officers are working in an untenable environment. They are working double shifts and overtime on the front lines as cities and towns across the nation experience significant increases in violent crimes – particularly gun-related crimes – that are straining the resources of departments nationwide. They are doing all this in the face of hatred for the uniform they wear, for the laws they do not make but are bound by duty to enforce. This toxic atmosphere is only perpetuated by the anti-police merchandise you are allowing to be sold on Amazon.com.

The men and women who serve as law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to ensure our schools, neighborhoods and communities are safe. Amazon must stop its support of divisive anti-law enforcement rhetoric, which only promotes a culture that becomes increasingly strident in its hatred for law enforcement. As an organization that claims to be actively working to serve and invest in our nation’s communities, your actions, including what you allow to be sold on Amazon.com, should reflect those values.

We urge Amazon to support the men and women who risk their lives every day to ensure our neighborhoods and communities are safe by prohibiting the sale of such anti-law enforcement goods and join us in working to change the culture that becomes increasingly strident in its calls for violence against law enforcement.

Sincerely,