Sales of ‘thin blue line’ merchandise soar following RCMP ban

In the four years Sean Hadley has been selling “thin blue line” merchandise online, he’s never seen it this busy.

The Quebec man says sales soared over the long weekend after Canada’s national police force banned members from wearing or displaying the controversial symbol, which depicts a “subdued” black and white Canadian flag with a blue stripe through the middle.

After the management decree became public, he says his website was flooded and he sold hundreds of flags and small Velcro patches with the logo.

“I started the store in 2016, and it’s definitely been the best three days in a row I’ve ever had,” Hadley told the Star on Tuesday. “I guess it’s like anything else. When somebody wants to forbid or ban something, it gets popular … I’m taking a coffee break because my head is spinning getting these orders out.”

Debate over the symbol has intensified on social media after RCMP management issued a memo Friday directing members to no longer wear or display the symbol while on duty.

“It is as important as ever to support each other and our partners and colleagues, but we need to do so while presenting the professional, consistent image that is an important part of maintaining public trust,” the memo said.

While supporters of the symbol say it represents solidarity and pride in law enforcement, and is a way for officers to grieve those killed in the line of duty, critics say it creates an us-versus-them mentality and does not foster trust in communities that police are meant to serve.

“At this time, in this current climate, it might not be the right time to be promoting this,” said Erick Laming, a University of Toronto PhD candidate in criminology and member of the Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation. “There are a lot of other ways you can show solidarity and honour without wearing a patch.

“It’s like the police are further alienating certain people they’re there to improve relationships with. For a lot of people who don’t trust the police right now or don’t have that confidence, they see more officers standing their ground and wearing these patches. It pits themselves against the community.”