Topman Apologises For 96 T-Shirt That Sparked Outrage For 'Mocking Hillsborough Victims'

'So it managed to get through god knows how many people before it was printed.'

Topman has come under fire for selling a red long-sleeve T-shirt emblazoned with the number 96, as it was seen to mock the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

Some Liverpool fans stated that the shirt resembled the club’s kit and saw the number 96 as a reference to the number of victims killed in the 1989 disaster. The red shirt also featured the phrase “what goes around comes back around”, which was seen as an inappropriate and insensitive reference.

In response to the comments Topman removed the shirt from sale and a spokesperson issued the following statement: “Topman apologises unreservedly for any offence caused by this T-shirt,” a company spokesperson said. “The design was inspired by a Bob Marley track with the number referring to the year of re-release. The garment has been removed from sale online and in stores.”

Topman

Alison McGovern, MP for Wirral South, was among those who had been calling for the shirt to be removed from sale.

Hi @Topman. No idea what is behind this, but it is very unfortunate. Hope you can discontinue the tshirt asap please. https://t.co/k2hKohzcuG

— Alison McGovern (@Alison_McGovern) March 15, 2018

Not everyone was convinced by Topman’s statement that the shirt was intended to be a homage to Marley, as the wording is slightly different to the Marley lyric “what goes around comes around” and some have questioned why the shirt would reference the date of a the re-release rather than the original.

Depressing isn’t it but anyhow if it’s the Bob Marley song they’ve got the lyrics wrong and it was first released in 68 ... some weird homage to some remix is it supposed to be

— Steve Johnstone (@RiskyQuant) March 15, 2018

So it’s a #BobMarley song and it’s managed to get through god knows how many people before it’s printed.

Just shows you how few people know about the biggest sporting disaster and cover up this country’s ever seen #Topman #Topshop pic.twitter.com/V3qPjRG1Il

— Justice For The 96 (@TheHoodedClaw66) March 15, 2018
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