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Amazon blocks Proud Boys shirt with Trump's 'stand back, stand by' quote

Leaders and supporters of the far-right extremist group celebrated the words President Trump uttered during the debate.

Amazon says it has removed a listing from its website for a shirt promoting the far-right extremist group Proud Boys that included the words "stand back" and "stand by." Those were the words President Donald Trump used to address the group during Tuesday night's presidential debate.

Business Insider reported a shirt was spotted on Amazon by an activist group called Sleeping Giants. The black shirt had yellow text with the words "Stand Back PB Stand By."

The group tweeted Amazon about the merchandise.

"All sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who do not will be subject to action including potential removal of their account. These products have been removed," Amazon said in a statement to TEGNA station KING. The statement did not elaborate on what guidelines were violated.

Amazon's website includes a section explaining its approach to handling offensive and controversial materials.

"Amazon does not allow products that promote, incite or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious intolerance or promote organizations with such views," the site reads, in part.

RELATED: Trump to far-right extremists: 'Stand back and stand by'

RELATED: Who are the Proud Boys? | Extremist group mentioned during presidential debate

Trump launched a firestorm Tuesday in his debate with former Vice President Joe Biden when he was asked if he would condemn white supremacy. 

"I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace," Trump said. "What do you want to call them? Give me a name."

"Proud Boys," Biden chimed in, referencing the group that has shown up at protests in the Pacific Northwest. The male-only group of neo-fascists describes themselves as "western chauvinists," and they have been known to incite street violence.

"Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," Trump said. "But I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem."

Proud Boys leaders and supporters later celebrated the president's words on social media. A channel on Telegram, an instant messaging service, with more than 5,000 of the group's members posted "Stand Back" and "Stand By" above and below the group's logo.

Facing widespread criticism, Trump on Wednesday said, "I don't know who the Proud Boys are." He added, "Whoever they are, they have to stand down. Let law enforcement do their work."

Trump made a more direct statement of condemnation Thursday to Fox News' Sean Hannity, according to The Hill

"I've said it many times, and let me be clear again: I condemn the (Ku Klux Klan). I condemn all white supremacists. I condemn the Proud Boys. I don’t know much about the Proud Boys, almost nothing. But I condemn that," Trump reportedly said.

FBI Director Christopher Wray told a congressional panel last week that white supremacists and anti-government extremists have been responsible for most of the recent deadly attacks by extremist groups within the U.S.

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