In reaction to President Trump announcing Monday that he would drastically shrink the size of both the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah, outdoor brand Patagonia has switched its home page to a stark black-and-white screen that reads: “The President Stole Your Land.” The company, in addition, is threatening to take the administration to court.
The brand, making good on a threat it made back in April, will soon be announcing a potential lawsuit against the Trump administration for the protection of Bears Ears National Monument, complementing a separate effort and lawsuit filing by others regarding the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
In a statement, CEO Rose Marcario said, “Americans have overwhelmingly spoken out against the Trump administration’s unprecedented attempt to shut down our national monuments. The administration’s unlawful actions betray our shared responsibility to protect iconic places for future generations and represent the largest elimination of protected land in American history. We’ve fought to protect these places since we were founded and now we’ll continue that fight in the courts.”
Patagonia has been working to protect Bears Ears since the start of the year, when Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed a resolution challenging the national monument status declared by President Obama in December. The campaign has included brand marketing, lobbying government, supporting local environmental and indigenous groups, creating 360-films, and its first-ever broadcast TV ad in August.
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