A CLOTHING company has been branded "despicable" after releasing a T-shirt mocking the Manchester bombing.
Internet company T-Shirt Hell has come under fire after putting a new design online depicting singer Ariana Grande above an explosion, with the slogan 'Ariana Grande is the bomb'.
The product, priced at $22 (£17), was released just days after 22 people lost their lives when bomber Salman Abedi detonated a suicide device filled with shrapnel among crowds leaving the concert.
Among the victims was Eilidh MacLeod, 14, from Barra in the Outer Hebrides, who was attending her first gig. Other victims eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos from Leyland and teenager Georgina Callander from nearby Chorley.
Scottish Conservative MSP Annie Wells said that T-shirt Hell's attempt to cash in on the tragedy was "verging on criminal"
The MSP said: “People accept that these companies exist to promote close-to-the-bone humour.
“But these products are utterly despicable – bad taste doesn’t even cover it. It’s even verging on criminal.
“I’m sure if the developers behind this website had lost loved ones in the Manchester attack, they would not be promoting such vile merchandise.”
Many of the fifty-nine people hurt in the attack are being treated for life-threatening injuries.
Twelve of those rushed to hospital were children, with Grande fanbase mainly made up of under-18s.
Eight people remain in custody in connection with Monday's attack, and police continue to investigate whether a terrorist network was behind the bombing.
Ariana, who was due to play the O2 Arena in London on Thursday and Friday, has suspended her tour.
T-Shirt Hell has yet to respond to the criticism. However, a statement on its website sets out its ethos, saying: "T-Shirt Hell was launched in 2001 because we wanted to heal the world with laughter.
"1.5 million shirt sales later, we're still the largest offensive t-shirt company online. It's comedy."
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel