Amazon to pull Confederate flag merchandise from site

SEATTLE — Amazon is pulling Confederate flag merchandise from its site, a spokeswoman confirms to KIRO 7.

QUICK FACTS:

• Amazon among other large companies to pull flag
• This comes after SC gov. calls for flag to come down outside statehouse
• Seattle mayor "pleased" with Amazon's move

The company is the latest to prohibit the sale of Confederate merchandise following eBay, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and Sears Holdings Corp. The shooting deaths of nine black church members last week in South Carolina has reignited debate on what the flag symbolizes.

CNN reports Amazon has more than 29,000 listings for Confederate flags, posters, knives, and other memorabilla. Amazon has a list of 32 banned or restricted categories of merchandise. 

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray told KIRO 7 that Amazon and other Seattle businesses should stop selling confederate flag merchandise.

“I think it’s a good move considering the tragedy that is associated with the confederate flag," Murray said. “I proud of Amazon and I hope other Seattle businesses that might be selling things with the confederate flag do it as well.”

He said the flag is “a symbol of  division and hurt in this country" and that "it’s time for us to move on.”

Similarly, Ebay called the flag a "contemporary symbol of divisiveness and racism."

EBay Inc., based in San Jose, California, said it will begin notifying sellers of its decision and begin removing items that contain the Confederate flag on Tuesday. A search for "Confederate flag" brought up 1,400 listings, including pins, watches, ties, hats and sunglasses with an image of the flag on it.

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said this week that the Confederate flag should be removed from the Statehouse grounds.

S.C. lawmakers took their first step toward removing the Confederate battle flag from their Statehouse grounds Tuesday as protesters outside demanded the flag come down

The measure enabling lawmakers to debate the flag removal later this summer needed two-thirds approval. It passed the House by a vote of 103-10. The Senate later approved it with a voice vote.

But the backlash also created a boom. When KIRO 7 checked Amazon's site this afternoon, sales of confederate flags spiked 8,800 percent in 24 hours, making it the second best-selling item under Patio, Lawn & Garden.

One of the issues facing Amazon in enforcing the ban, a lot of the items on its site are sold by third-party sellers. KIRO 7 wanted to know if the ban affects Confederate flag items listed both by Amazon and also its third party sellers. KIRO 7 posed that question to the company, but has not heard back.

KIRO