SILVER SPRING, Md. - An American Apparel store's decision to prominently display a pro-gay T-shirt has resulted in vanadalism and death threats, a spokesperson for the chain told ABC 7 News. 

Vandals smashed the windows at the Silver Spring American Apparel store, apparently upset over a display of T-shirts that read: "Legalize Gay" "Repeal Prop 8 Now!". The message refers to California's Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state.

The broken store windows in Silver Spring were discovered Monday morning.

On Tuesday, the Georgetown American Apparel received a threatening phone call related to the T-shirts.

Wednesday, employees at both locations say they received death threats, the spokesperson for the chain said.

According to one employee who answered the phone at the Silver Spring location Wednesday, the caller said: "Why is that T-shirt still in the window? You should take it down or something will happen to you." 

The employee didn't want to be identified after someone threatened her life, she said.

She added: "Some of the employees are kind of unsettled by the fact that we are keeping up the mannequins simply because it does affect our safety here."

The store manager says despite the act of vandalism and the threats, the display is not going anywhere and the shirts will remain on sale and prominently displayed.

 

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