The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), National Retail Federation (NRF) and many business leaders have condemned the violence in the US.
So far, 4 people, including women, have lost their lives as the chaos and violence unfolded at the US Capitol. This happened after supporters of President Donald Trump swarmed the building to protest the Electoral College vote.
Saddened and disturbed by the violent assault on US democracy and its democratic values, AAFA has made it clear that it fully supports the US Constitution and its democratic institutions.
“Today’s riots are repugnant and fly in the face of the most basic tenets of our constitution,” said Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the NRF, the world’s largest retail trade association.
In a statement, AAFA said that today’s scenes may have begun as peaceful protest, but quickly escalated into a direct attack on our nation’s core beliefs and way of life when an armed mob stormed the Capitol. This was unacceptable and it was crime against the US and its people.
“It is long past time for us to unite and support the peaceful transition of power,” AAFA said and further added “we have a great deal of work ahead of us to heal our nation and our economy, and our democratic institutions must be fully defended so they can be fully deployed to support that work.”
On Wednesday (6 January), social media giants Twitter, Facebook and Instagram blocked US President Donald Trump from posting on their platforms as rioters attacked the US Capitol and violent protests broke out in Washington DC.
