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Northern Irish Halloween shop pulls child 'Terrorist' costume after complaints

A ‘Terrorist’ Halloween costume for children, which appears to mock religious extremi...
Newstalk
Newstalk

16.04 12 Oct 2016


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Northern Irish Halloween shop...

Northern Irish Halloween shop pulls child 'Terrorist' costume after complaints

Newstalk
Newstalk

16.04 12 Oct 2016


Share this article


A ‘Terrorist’ Halloween costume for children, which appears to mock religious extremists, has been withdrawn from a shop in Northern Ireland following complaints. The fancy-dress costume, retailing at €16.50, comes with a camouflage waistcoat, a white shirt, and a headpiece modelled on those worn by Muslim men, reports Belfast Live.

According to the Coleraine Times, the controversial costume has been taken off the shelves from a pop-up shop selling costumes and other Halloween materials in the town’s shopping centre. Despite selling well, the shop managers agreed to remove the playsuit from their pop-up market.

“It should not have been made available for sale, especially as it was directed at the children’s market,” said DUP councillor Trevor Clarke.

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“We have to be mindful of our own history in Northern Ireland and mindful of the many people who have suffered at the hands of terrorists. The sale of items of this sort is completely inappropriate.”

Expressing concern over how the costume, and parents purchasing it for their children to go out in trick-or-treating on October 31st, regard the Muslim community in Northern Ireland, Clarke said he thought this type of stereotyping was inappropriate.

“I think retailers have a duty to exercise caution and consideration in terms of anything they put on sale and I am glad that they have remedied this by withdrawing the item from sale,” he added.

The controversial Halloween costume based on Kim Kardashian's recent troubles

Elsewhere, a US-based retailer of fancy-dress costumes is facing intense backlash over its decision to bring to market a Halloween costume that shows Kim Kardashian West gagged and bound as a “robbery victim”. Sold under the name Parisian Heist Robbery Victim Costume Kit and retailing at just under $70 (€63.50), the Costumeish kit includes a white bathing robe, a long black wig, large dark sunglasses, a gag, 2ft of rope, and a mock diamond ring.

“She had devoted her life to promoting American decadence, youth, and hedonism, but all that flashy living caught up with her one night in Paris when armed men bound her, stole her jewellery and her peace of mind,” the costume description reads. “This Halloween, have some fun with pop culture and dress just like the Queen of Social Media.”

Despite generating considerable negative press in light of mocking the pop culture figure for recently being the victim of an armed robbery in Paris, the company’s founder Johnathon Weeks said the costume is intended to spark a strong reaction. “It’ll make people either cringe or laugh,” he told TIME, adding: “I don’t want to make light of a serious situation. My deepest sympathy goes out to the family. No one really deserves to go through what she did. We’re not mocking her.”

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