Nike has launched a lawsuit over rapper Lil Nas X's brand new range of so-called 'Satan Sneakers.'
According to BBC News, the controversial shoes have provoked outrage among conservatives, religious groups, and parents due to their unconventional design, which evokes Satanic imagery.
The black and crimson modified Nike Air Max 97s retail for $1,018 and feature an inverted cross, a pentagram, as well as a single drop of human blood in the soles, donated by members of the art collective MSCHF.
The shoes also bear the legend "Luke 10:18", a reference to a verse from the New Testament of the Bible, which states: "And he said unto them, 'I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.'"
However, Nike claims that the 666 pairs of shoes, which were recently released by the musician in collaboration with the Brooklyn-based collective, constitute an infringement of their brand's copyright.
According to court documents from the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, the sportswear giant states in its lawsuit:
"MSCHF and its unauthorized Satan Shoes are likely to cause confusion and dilution and create an erroneous association between MSCHF's products and Nike."
It continues:
"There is already evidence of significant confusion and dilution occurring in the marketplace, including calls to boycott Nike in response to the launch of MSCHF's Satan Shoes, based on the mistaken belief that Nike has authorized or approved this product."
Indeed, some Christian commenters have taken offense at the shoes, and have taken to social media to voice their outrage.
For example, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem wrote in a tweet on March 28, "Our kids are being told that this kind of product is, not only okay, it's 'exclusive.'
"But do you know what's more exclusive? Their God-given eternal soul. We are in a fight for the soul of our nation. We need to fight hard. And we need to fight smart. We have to win. [sic]"
Meanwhile, South Carolina-based televangelist pastor Mark Burns wrote in a tweet of his own: "These #SatanShoes by #Nike & #LilNasX with 666 and a drop of human blood in the sole is a reason why we Christians must be prayed up ready to battle in the spirit with the Voice of the Holy Spirit.
"This is evil & heresy and I pray that Christians rise up against this."
In response to the controversy, Lil Nas X, (real name is Montero Lamar Hill), posted a video to his official YouTube account entitled "Lil Nas X Apologizes for Satan Shoe."
The video begins with an apparently-sincere apology, but then cuts to a scene from the rapper's new music video, 'Montero (Call Me By Your Name)'.
He then responded to the backlash personally in a tweet made on March 27, writing: "i spent my entire teenage years hating myself because of the shit y’all preached would happen to me because i was gay.
"so i hope u are mad, stay mad, feel the same anger you teach us to have towards ourselves. [sic]"
