Arkansas sheriff accused of making inmates wear Nike shirts

An activist’s claims that inmates were being made to wear Nike shirts in their mug shots has the sheriff’s office in Union County, Arkansas, on the defensive.

Civil rights activist and writer Shaun King posted photos of 12 mug shots featuring inmates wearing the athletic apparel maker’s brand, seemingly in reaction to the recent controversial marketing deal between Nike and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Less than an hour after King posted his allegation and photos on Twitter Wednesday night, the Union County sheriff’s office had scrubbed the jail’s online roster of all inmate photos, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. As of Thursday, no mug shots were visible on the site.

Union County Sheriff Ricky Roberts did not immediately return CBS MoneyWatch’s requests for comment. But he told a local news outlet that the shirts had been issued to people who came to jail without “proper attire during the booking process.”

“We are not, and will not, be influenced by current political and social debates in the media,” Roberts said in a statement. “This shirt is not only in use now, but has also been for several months prior.  We have taken steps to rectify this issue and insure that this will never happen again.”

Kaepernick gained national attention in 2016 when he started kneeling during the national anthem to protest police violence and racial injustice. Nike’s decision to feature the quarterback in its latest campaign was greeted by calls for a boycott of Nike products in some quarters.