Lego Gets Lauded & Bashed Online Over $4 Million Donation to Battle Racism

The company's initiative has attracted both praise and criticism on social media, with some even calling for a boycott of Lego's products.

World-famous toy manufacturer Lego has now stepped forward to declare its stance on racism and inequality.

In one of its recent tweets, the company announced that it will donate some $4 million to “organizations dedicated to supporting black children and educating all children about racial inequality”.

Also, the company apparently sent an email to its affiliated marketers, requesting them to remove “product listings and features for more than 30 Lego building sets, mini-figures, and accessories that include representation of police officers, firefighters, criminals, emergency vehicles, and buildings”, with Vulture, New York magazine's pop culture news website, describing it as “a firm stand in support of protestors and the Black Lives Matter movement”.

pic.twitter.com/gpWKJ8pr7V

— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) June 3, 2020

​The company's move comes as the United States struggles to deal with a wave of protests and riots which erupted across the country a week ago, following the death of an African American man named George Floyd who died in police custody after pinned to the ground during his arrest.

Lego's initiative attracted both praise and criticism on social media, as while some netizens seemed pleased by it, others slammed the company and even called for boycott.

4 Million? Thats like...2 LEGO Sets?

I kid. I kid. Great Job LEGO!

— Chilled Chaos (@ChilledChaos) June 3, 2020

BOYCOTT LEGO #BoycottLego

— Leo (@diableo87140) June 3, 2020

DAMN! Now that's what I call putting your money where your mouth is.

Phenomenal! Can't wait to hear more!

— trihex (@trihex) June 3, 2020

Thank you giant corporation for voicing your concern on something thats popular to talk abotu right now by donating about 0.1 of your early income.

— CruxConventicle (@ProtoCopy) June 3, 2020

And there were also those who offered some suggestions for Lego's possible future products.

Hey, @LEGO_Group and @LEGOIdeas, it’d be pretty rad if you created some sets to represent Black History and some minifigs to represent influential POC through the decades; activists, inventors, authors, et al. Go-to names are okay, but think beyond what is taught in schools.

— Amanda Petree (@Amanda_Petree) June 3, 2020

Any chance you would do a minifig collection of important and influential black people?

— Filmance (@walea23) June 3, 2020