A day after saying it had removed ammunition and firearms from displays at its U.S. stores because of violent protests in some areas, Walmart announced Friday it has already begun returning the items to stores shelves.
"After civil unrest earlier this week resulted in damage to several of our stores, consistent with actions we took over the summer, we asked stores to move firearms and ammunition from the sales floor to a secure location in the back of the store in an abundance of caution," the store said in a statement. "As the current incidents have remained geographically isolated, we have made the decision to begin returning these products to the sales floor today."
Even when the items were not on display, they remained available for purchase by customers.
The nation's largest retailer, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, sells firearms in about half of its 4,700 stores.
The move to remove the weapons came after several days of protests, widespread vandalism and an overnight curfew in Philadelphia before Election Day after police fatally shot Walter Wallace Jr., a Black man with a history of mental health problems.
Walmart made a a similar move in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd that set off sometimes violent demonstrations against police brutality and injustice against African Americans.
Last year, Walmart stopped selling handgun and short-barrel rifle ammunition while requesting that customers not openly carry firearms in its stores, even where state laws allow it. The company also ended the sale of handguns in Alaska, the only state where the discounter sold them.
Walmart says it has removed ammunition and firearms from displays at its U.S. stores, citing “civil unrest" in some areas.
The nation's largest retailer, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, sells firearms in about half of its 4,700 stores.
“We have seen some isolated civil unrest and as we have done on several occasions over the last few years, we have moved our firearms and ammunition off the sales floor as a precaution for the safety of our associates and customers," Walmart said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press on Thursday.
The discounter said the items remain available for purchase by customers.
The move comes after several days of protests, widespread vandalism and an overnight curfew in Philadelphia before Election Day after police fatally shot Walter Wallace Jr., a Black man with a history of mental health problems.
Walmart made a a similar move in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd that set off sometimes violent demonstrations against police brutality and injustice against African Americans.
Last year, Walmart stopped selling handgun and short-barrel rifle ammunition while requesting that customers not openly carry firearms in its stores, even where state laws allow it. The company also ended the sale of handguns in Alaska, the only state where the discounter sold them.