Imagine if one day your employer gave you a list of ten labels you could not wear to work. That’s exactly what happened to police in Berlin, who have been banned from wearing apparel by Fred Perry, Ben Sherman, ACAB, Alpha Industries, Consdaple, Lonsdale, Pit Bull, Outlaw, Troublemaker, and Thor Steinar while on duty. Authorities consider these labels popular among neo-Nazis and view them as a sign of right-wing extremist views, which officers should not be associated with.
But this hasn’t sat well with a few of the labels, seeing as it’s just about the worst PR ever. Although Thor Steiner has strong ties to neo-Nazi groups, Ben Sherman and Fred Perry have worked hard to distance themselves from such associations. Though they are sometimes popular among these groups, they have spoken out against their ideologies and restricted outlets. The police trade union also opposed the ban, arguing undercover officers will be at risk among these groups if they don’t wear the same clothes as everyone else.
FASHION POLICE [WWD]
