An LGBTQIA+-owned clothing business has described its outrage after members of the far-right Proud Boys group were seen wearing its kilts.
The Virginia-based company Verillas said it was "disgusted" to see supporters of the "fascist terrorist org" wearing its yellow and black kilts during the MAGA rally in Washington on Saturday and immediately took steps to distance itself from the extremist group.
"We're against everything they stand for," the company tweeted. "I see $750 of our gear in the picture—I just gave $1000 to the NAACP to redirect hate to love."
The company later confirmed it has now pulled the yellow kilts from sale and is offering a free color exchange for anyone who has previously purchased one but does not want to be inadvertently associated with the far-right group.
The Proud Boys appear to have chosen the kilts to match their uniform of black and yellow polo shirts.
On encrypted messaging service Telegram, the Proud Boys also shared photos showing several of their members baring their backsides while wearing the kilts with the words "f**k antifa" written across them.
Speaking to Dazed, Verillas's VP of Marketing Justin LaRose said he thought the company was "doomed" when he saw photos of the extremists wearing their clothes. LaRose said he had "no idea how it could have happened," given the company also produces a number of inclusive LGBTQ-themed Pride kilts.
"It was insane to me that folks in that group could have used our stuff," he said.
"It felt existentially wrong to be associated with that group of people and the first thing I realized is that taking gains from them was unacceptable. We weren't satisfied with neutralizing the situation, we had to counter it."
Proud Boys in kilts. Dozens of them gathering downtown now for today’s March for Trump. pic.twitter.com/BTJWmGC6Yp
— Hannah Allam (@HannahAllam) December 12, 2020
Speaking to WUSA9, owner Allister Greenbrier said he felt "powerless and frustrated and angry" to see the products worn by the hate group.
Greenbrier said they were able to turn it into a positive after donating money to charity, prompting messaging of support.
"I thought it was a nightmare scenario at first, but now it's turned around a bit," Greenbrier said. "We've gotten so much love and support back, I think we're going to take a few more steps forward with the momentum we have.
"Trying to figure out what can we do with the voice that we have, now that we've realized what we have," Greenbrier added. "It's a big responsibility, so we're kind of hesitant to leap too quickly, but we want to do some good."
Earlier this year, British clothing company Fred Perry announced it will no longer be selling its black-and-yellow polo shirts in North America until it is satisfied that "its association with the Proud Boys has ended."
