Etsy shuts down then reinstates pro-black shop selling shirts with slogans like 'Columbus was a murderer'

Etsy shop Splendid Rain Co. is claiming that the e-commerce platform has removed it from the site and doesn’t support its black shop owners. The New Jersey-based brand is known for selling “clothing for activists” and features T-shirts and sweatshirts emblazoned with slogans like “Columbus was a murderer,” “F*** your racist grandma,” and “Pro-black, anti-bull****.”

The brand took to Instagram on Tuesday to discuss the situation between the shop and Etsy. “If you have a pending order it is still being processed. No new orders can be placed at this time. I am grateful for your patience and understanding. I just can’t win,” reads the caption. In a series of text-filled photos, the store claims the site “removed” the shop and details the struggles of owning a small business. “When this started I looked for it to be a hobby, something empowering to not just myself but a few others who understood my message and wanted to support and feel supported in the journey & struggle of being Black,” it reads. The brand goes on to allege that Etsy “has been intent on making this hard for me since I received so much attention.” Splendid Rain Co. claims the site has removed listings “at the snap of a finger” and shut down its account when the brand couldn’t afford unspecified charges that are “upwards of $1,000 per month.”

“I’ve been under threat of removal for the past 2 months for anything they think I do wrong,” the post read. Splendid Rain Co. also goes into the retailer for its lack of support toward “black shop owners” and asks, “When will we get the same reach and support from you? The answer is NEVER. And with that, I’m done with you.”

Yahoo Lifestyle reached out to Etsy for comment and a spokesperson wrote back via email, “Due to our privacy policy, we cannot comment on specific items or sellers.”

Although Splendid Rain Co. seems to be back up and running on Etsy.com as of Wednesday, the brand announced on Instagram to its followers that “Etsy has reinstated my store as long as you have a direct link. You won’t be able to find me through their search engines. Rest assured, that new domain is coming soon!”

UPDATE: Yahoo Lifestyle reached out to Splendid Rain Co. for comment but has yet to receive a response as of Thursday afternoon.

• Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
  From ‘No on Kavanaugh’ to ‘Stop calling 911 on the culture’: NYFW is all about political statements

• Swimsuits out, jumpsuits in at newly empowered Miss America 2.0

• The best plus-size street style looks at New York Fashion Week

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.