Walmart Stops Display Of Mississippi Flag In Stores Over Confederate Flag Emblem Issue

Walmart Inc. WMT will refrain from displaying the flag of Mississippi in local stores over a confederate emblem in the flag, Reuters reported Tuesday.

What Happened

"While the issue continues to be discussed, we've made the decision to remove the Mississippi state flag from display in its current form from our stores," Walmart said in a statement to Reuters.

The retailer claimed the latest decision is in line with its long-standing policy of ending sales of any merchandise featuring Confederate symbols.

The Mississippi government has seen calls from multiple organizations, including the Mississippi Baptist Convention, on adopting a new flag.

Walmart's Canada division separately said it was investigating the sale of an "All Lives Matter" t-shirt by a third-party seller on its platform. The slogan is often used as a counter to "Black Lives Matter," which is used to emphasize racial inequality in the United States.

Why It Matters

The protests in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, a Minneapolis African-American man, in an encounter with the police have brought the use of Confederate symbols in light again.

Earlier this month, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) banned the use of the Confederate flag at all its races and other events. The U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps have also banned the use of the Confederate battle flag from public displays in their installations, CNN reported.

WMT Price Action

Walmart shares closed 0.5% lower at $121.07 on Tuesday. The shares dipped another 0.3% in the after-hours session at $120.70.

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