Hat makers distance from Nashville store amid uproar over ‘Not Vaccinated’ badges
Several prominent hat makers have distanced themselves from a Nashville hat store amid online backlash over the store’s decision to sell yellow “Not Vaccinated” patches shaped like the Star of David.
The controversy started after the owner of hatWRKS posted a photo on Instagram of a woman wearing a yellow sticker shaped like the Star of David with the words “not vaccinated” on it, the Tennessean reported.
The post, which has since been deleted, quickly garnered backlash. The hashtag #HateWorks soon started trending as critics condemned the badges, similar to ones Nazis forced Jews to wear during the Holocaust.
Screenshot of a now-removed post from hatWRKS Nashville. Store owner (pictured) didn’t want to talk, and told us to leave her property. We’re talking to synagogue leaders tonight on FOX17 News at 9. pic.twitter.com/Di79WwB9mq
— Rachel Tiede (@RMTiede) May 28, 2021
HatWRKS originally defended its move on Friday in two Instagram posts, saying people were outraged by the badges but not the “tyranny the world is experiencing.”
The second post expressed fears that people could not return to various aspects of normal life without “showing your papers.”
“This has been the push, that is not fiction. Much of that is happening right now. There is a historical parallel to fascism to be drawn. We can only fight back to not relive history,” the post read.
According to WRKN in Nashville, protestors surrounded the store on Saturday, with demonstrators holding up a “No Nazis in Nashville” sign in front of the store.
American hat maker Stetson announced on Twitter on Saturday that it was no longer selling its hats with the store.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.