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Critics Call PacSun Shirt Depicting Upside-Down American Flag 'Disrespectful'

RANCHO CUCAMONGA (CBSLA.com) — The American Flag is printed onto bikini's, hats and all manner of apparel. But there's a shirt being sold at PacSun showing a black and white upside-down American flag that has some Memorial Day shoppers up in arms.

Critics such as Monica Sandoval told CBS2/KCAL9's Crystal Cruz that the t-shirt is disrespectful and unpatriotic.

"So many people have fought for this country, and to actually defile our flag that way doesn't make sense," Sandoval said. "We are part of this country we should respect it anyway we can."

A social media user posted on PacSun's Facebook page: "Keep it. It's not disrespectful or unpatriotic. The upside down flag is traditionally a sign of distress. Can anyone argue our country is not in distress?"

Another supporter posted: "I'm disappointed they took it down. You shouldn't give in to terrorists/"

Shopper Gerry Aguilar said the shirt is "not right, not right at all. Not being American so."

PacSun posted a statement online Monday that reads, in part: "Out of respect for those who have put their lives on the line for our country, we have decided to stop selling the licensed flag t-shirt and are removing it from our stores and website immediately."

"You can't tell that it was on the shirt? If it's on the shirt you should be able to tell that it's not right and you should be able to see its going to be so respectful to a lot of people that live in the United States," shopper Keanu Hammone told Cruz.

A PacSun store manager at the Victoria Gardens Mall in Rancho Cucamonga said the t-shirt was pulled from their shelves Sunday and not many of them were sold at that location.

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