The Oscar Pistorius Halloween costume is called “extremely aggressive” by a charity that supports the family of murder victims.
This gorgeous dress includes a running vest with the words “Blade Gunner 2012”, shorts, sunglasses, a fake gun and black and silver boots that depict the racing blade.
The sprint costume is green and yellow, the color that Pistorius wore when he represented South Africa at the 2012 Olympics. A few months ago he shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013.
Jokers’Masquerade, located on Luton’s website, lists “Adult Blades and Rogue Gunners” in its Halloween section.
“Using our adult blade runner-up Stag costumes has caused a lot of controversy at your next party. This eye-catching headwear-turning concept is perfect for any event, whether it’s Halloween or just a friend,” it said.
“These garments include black and silver boots, up to the knees, giving the impression that you have a metal running knife instead of a leg, like the infamous Paralympic athlete!”
Ross Dickson, CEO of “Support after Murder” and “Killing Problem,” told the Sun: “This is very numb and aggressive, especially for the families of the victims.”
However, it is by no means the first Halloween costume to face criticism…
Anne Frank
Online retailer Halloween Costumes.com faced strong opposition to the sale of Anne Frank clothing on its website last year. Dressed in green berets, blue dresses and brown bags, the description says: “We can always learn from the struggles of history! Now, your child can play the role of a hero of the Second World War.”
The costume sparked a fierce reaction on Twitter, and many accused the retailer of having a negligible memory of Frank. Frank spent two years hiding with his family before being discovered and sent to Auschwitz. The company said that the garment was never intended to cause offense, but removed it from sales.
Gagged Kim Kardashian
In 2016, Kim Kardashian West was kidnapped and robbed by five men in Paris, and Costumeish.com sold the “Parisian Heist Robbery Victim Kit” for $69.99 (£53). It doesn’t mention Kardashian, but includes a “white short sexy robe”, long black wig, sunglasses, slap, rope and “$4m” ring.
After many criticisms, the company announced on Twitter: “Due to extensive criticism, we decided to remove ‘Parisian Heist’ clothing from our website. We are sorry if we offend anyone.”
Cecil Lion
Costumeish.com has a history of breaking the limits of taste. In 2015, American dentist Walter Palmer killed Cecil during Zimbabwe’s hunting, causing global anger. Within a few weeks, the clothing site launched a bloody dentistry costume with a cut lion head as a prop.
Despite the anger from animal lovers, clothing company founder Jonathon Weeks refused to apologize and said: “Maybe our money has the blood of the Cecil lion. I am not offending anyone, I am just here to make things problem. We just got The beginning of this Halloween. There is more.”
Call me Caitlyn
Caitlyn Jenner appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair in 2015, inspiring several retailers to sell Call Me Caitlyn’s clothing. A white bodice and wig combination was promoted to unisex equipment and was shaped by a man with a stubble.
The seller claimed that they were celebrating the star, and Jenner said she was not offended. However, her supporters have not been amused, they think trans people are seen as a joke. A petition to get clothes out of sales said, “Making clothing in a marginalized manner can reduce the stereotype of this person and community’s abuse of privileged people.”
