Etsy has been accused of breaching its own policies as well as UK law by selling  abusive and threatening anti-Israel T Shirts and stickers.

Etsy is selling a T shirt with the slogan “Fuck Israel”, which includes the inverted Red Triangle symbol, Hamas’s symbol for “violent resistance”, pointing at the word Israel. It is also selling several other T-shirts and stickers with the same slogan.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has reported to Etsy that these items breach many of Etsy’s own policies including the policies on Prohibited Items and on Anti-Discrimination and Hate Speech, as well as breaching UK law.

Etsy’s Prohibited Items policy prohibits the sale of items that promote, support or glorify violence or hatred, or items that promote illegal activity.

UKLFI contends that these T-shirts and stickers fall into these categories.

Etsy’s Anti-Discrimination and Hate Speech policy also prohibits the use of its Services to discriminate against people based on personal attributes including race, national origin, ethnicity and religion.  UKLFI argues that these T-shirts and stickers also breach this policy.

Etsy claims: “We want Etsy to be a community where people of all backgrounds, nationalities, religions, and even different types of artistic taste and humour feel welcome. Art is incredibly subjective, and what is offensive to one is not necessarily offensive to others.”

Despite these laudable aims, Etsy’s site is being used to sell clothing and stickers which are offensive to Jews and Israelis, and would not make Israelis or Jews feel welcome in the Etsy community.

UKLFI also draws attention to possible criminal offences. Wearing the T-shirts in public may breach Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 by displaying writing or a sign which is threatening or abusive within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress. It may also breach Section 18 of the Public Order Act 1986 by displaying written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting and intended or likely to stir up racial hatred.

Sellers of the items on Etsy may breach Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 by sending messages or matter that is grossly offensive or menacing by a public electronic communications network.

A spokesperson for UKLFI commented: “We hope that Etsy removes these offensive items which breach their policies and seem to be designed to stir up hatred.”