Should attire resembling the uniforms and slogans of terrorists really be allowed online?

From Daily Mail. Green headbands resembling those worn by Hamas terrorists which were being sold on Etsy have been removed, MailOnline can reveal.

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The distinctive accessory, featuring Arabic writing on a green cloth, caused outrage among Jewish groups and protestors over it’s uncanny likeness to the terrorist groups’ uniform.

Though the writing on the cloth translated to a segment from the Quran, unrelated to Hamas, the headband bore a striking resemblance to that worn by militants who stormed into Israel and committed barbaric atrocities on October 7.

The item was previously being sold on the online marketplace for £12 and was tagged as a ‘bestseller’, indicating a high volume of sales over the past six months. …

But the shopping giant came under fire for allowing its sale, with Jewish groups and protestors on social media labelling it ‘outrageous’. …

It comes after two individuals were seen in London wearing similar headbands during a pro-Palestine march on Armistice Day in the wake of the October 7 terror attacks. …

Expressing support for Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation, is a criminal offence in the UK.

In a letter to Colin Stretch, chief legal officer of Etsy, UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) previously asked him to confirm these items will be ‘withdrawn’ from sale.

Caroline Turner, director of UKLFI, said: ‘At a time of rising antisemitism, it is extremely distressing to see these Hamas-style terrorist headbands openly being sold on Etsy. …

‘There is no reason why these items should remain on sale on Etsy’s website given that they are in breach of [Etsy’s] own policy guidelines and that selling such items and wearing the items in public can be a criminal offence.’

Etsy’s ‘prohibited items policy’ states that the platform has a ‘zero tolerance policy for prohibited items, particularly those that promote, support or glorify hatred, those that promote, support or glorify violence, or are unlawful’. …

It comes after online giants Amazon and Etsy were criticised for selling Israel ‘hate’ merchandise prior to the Armistice Day protests. …

T-shirts, baseball caps, jumpers and badges bearing the slogan ‘Make Israel Palestine Again’ are still being sold on Etsy – an e-commerce company focused on handmade or vintage items and craft supplies.

Meanwhile, T-shirts and jumpers with the slogan ‘From The River To The Sea, Palestine Will Be Free’ are still being touted on Amazon. …

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(Excerpt from Daily Mail. Photo Credit: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)