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Target boycott: Activists demand answers over offensive Halloween costume imagery

By
FOX 9
Target
Published August 28, 2026 11:56 AM CDT
Published August 28, 2026 11:56 AM CDT
Livestream

The Brief

    • Protestors are gathering outside Target headquarters in Minneapolis in response to a "racially offensive children's Halloween costume," according to a news release from National Target Boycott.
    • Target has pulled the Halloween costume off shelves and issued an apology after admitting the offensive nature of the product.
    • Activists say they are demanding "accountability, representation and a fundamental shift in corporate culture."

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minnesota civil rights leaders held a protest outside Target headquarters in Minneapolis to "demand answers about how a racially offensive children's Halloween costume made it through the retailer's internal review and approval processes," according to a news release from National Target Boycott.

The retail giant pulled the Halloween costume off shelves and issued an apology after admitting the offensive nature of the product earlier this week.

This comes after Target announced it was rolling back its DEI goals last year. 

This story will be updated with details from the protest.

Target response

The other side:

Target issued the following statement in response:

"As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry. The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment. It is no longer available for sale. We know this is especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners. Removing the costume is an important first step, and the company is looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change to ensure this won’t happen again."

The Source: This story uses information from activists and previous FOX reporting.

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