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An American retailer has pulled a children's Halloween costume from supermarket shelves after a mass backlash.
Target - which has more than 2,000 stores across the US - faced fury after photos of the costume circulated across social media.
Critics said the gear, which the retailer was selling as a circus clown Halloween costume, resembled a racist caricature.
An image of the outfit showed a black child wearing an orange and black top, black gloves, a hat and a mask bearing a large grinning smile.
Social media users complained that the outfit was similar to depictions of black people seen in minstrel shows of the past.
Target later offered a grovelling apology over the costume and confirmed it would not be selling the garment.
The retailer said: “As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry.
“The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment. It is no longer available for sale.
Droves of social media users complained that the outfit was similar to depictions of black people seen in minstrel shows
|TARGET
"We know this is especially hurtful for our black guests, team members and partners.
"Removing the costume is an important first step, and the company is looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change to ensure this won’t happen again.”
The woke fury comes despite Target's own pivot away from diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes after Donald Trump returned to the White House last year.
The retailer joined the likes of Walmart, McDonald's and Ford in scaling back DEI, citing an "evolving external landscape" at the time.
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Target came under fire from activists last year after the company ditched its DEI targets and programmes
| GETTYThe move saw Target make changes to its "Belonging at the Bullseye" scheme - including the end of its programme intended to support black shoppers, employees and businesses, launched shortly after the death of George Floyd in 2020.
The decision sparked fury from civil rights activists, who called on Americans to boycott the retailer.
One, attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, blasted the move as "completely unacceptable".
In January 2025, Ms Armstrong said: “This decision was not made independently by Target, but it was made as a result of the pressure that is coming from the White House and the administration under Donald Trump.
A customer leaves one of the stores of discount retail chain Target in Ancaster | REUTERS
“They acted cowardly, and they made the decision to bow down to the Trump administration when we are here today, saying we will not bow down."
The backlash prompted then-Target CEO Brian Cornell to hold a meeting with civil rights leader Reverand Al Sharpton to discuss the changes.
The retailer also faced pressure from the American Federation of Teachers last month.
The teaching union called on Target's CEO Michael Fiddelke to urge Mr Trump to bring "Operation Metro Surge" to an end.
The operation saw the White House send 3,000 federal immigration agents to Minneapolis, including Ice and US Customs and Border Protection officers, with the goal of snaring illegal migrants and deporting criminals from the US.