Fuji halts sales to U.S. police forces after use of bicycles against protestors
"We have seen our bicycles used in violent tactics that we did not intend or design them to be used for."
Photo by: SirottiFuji Bike, an American company that owns the 121-year-old Japanese brand, declared on Friday that it will suspend sales to police forces in the U.S.A. after the use of bicycles against George Floyd protestors around the country.
Fuji first tweeted about the protests on June 1.
— Fuji Bikes (@FujiBikes) June 1, 2020
On its Instagram on Friday, the company declared, “In the last week, we have seen our bicycles used in violent tactics that we did not intend or design them to be used for. In an effort to work towards real change, Bike Co. the North American distributor of Fuji Bikes, is suspending the sale of police bikes.”
BikeCo, Fuji's North American distributor, has made a full statement. Available here: https://t.co/il3unxHu1R pic.twitter.com/o7mGncap0w
— Fuji Bikes (@FujiBikes) June 5, 2020
Police forces around the U.S.A. have come under criticism for heavy-handed, sometimes brutal tactics against non-violent protesters, employing teargas, pepper spray and non-lethal-but-definitely-penetrating rubber bullets. Bicycles have been used as a combination of shield and club.
Trek in particular has been called out by people outraged about police assault-by-bicycle. Although the American company’s John Burke made a statement on its website about racism and inequality in the U.S.A., it was conspicuously silent on its sales of machines to police forces.
Donate all proceeds from the sales of these bikes to an appropriate charity & pledge never to sell bikes to cops. pic.twitter.com/gDTSOmkObi
— Liam Griffin (@liamgriffin) June 2, 2020