Kmart dumps ‘Merry Ham-Mas’ calico bags

The retail giant has removed a bag from its shelves and online shop due to its slogan that was described as “not a good look”.

Calico bags with the words ‘Merry Ham-Mas’ have been removed from Kmart stores. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Putting the squeeze on Victoria’s movers, shakers and headline makers.

Kmart has found itself caught in the crossfire of the Israel-Hamas war.

The shopping giant ordered calico bags for people to keep their Christmas hams in — with the seemingly innocuous slogan “Merry Ham-Mas” printed on them.

Unfortunately, the spelling of “Ham-mas” is similar to the terrorist group Hamas, which killed 1400 people and took 240 hostages from Israel on October 7.

The ‘Merry Ham-mas’ bag, which has been pulled from shelves at Kmart.

The Australian Jewish Association complained to Kmart that the ham bags were “really not a good look,” adding: “We suspect some product manager may cause the company some embarrassment. So we’ve politely written to (Kmart’s parent company) Wesfarmers … suggesting the product be pulled.”

Kmart has since pulled the bags from shelves and their online shop.

Businesswoman slams ‘cowardly celebrities’

Derby Day disrupter Angelica Mesisca Barrientos — who wore a “Free Palestine” protest dress to Melbourne Cup Carnival — has taken aim at influencers and celebrities.

The Adelaide businesswoman sent the Birdcage into a flap after wearing a designer dress with “Free Palestine” printed on the front and “Where Is Humanity? Ceasefire Now” on the back during Derby Day celebrations.

Jewish community leaders responded to the dress drama by calling on the Victoria Racing Club to ban politically charged clothing at Flemington.

But under current guidelines, Ms Barrientos’ outfit did not contravene Birdcage rules.

“The statement I’m making is, we need to be paying more attention to what’s going on in the world, and the Australian government needs to take a stand about what’s going on in the world,” Ms Barrientos told the Herald Sun on Derby Day.

She added: “We need to stop the genocide that is happening in Palestine. No one can look at what’s happening in the Middle East and think it’s OK, or justify it by any means.

“I thought what better place to raise awareness about this issue, and speak up, than the Melbourne Cup. I knew it would be controversial, but for me, I can either be silent and complicit with what’s going on, or I can speak out against it.”

Since then, Ms Barrientos has posted similar sentiments on her social media pages, including a quote by author Kashmir Aryam slamming the celebrity set.

Angelica Mesisca Barrientos at Derby Day.

“To all those cowardly celebrities and influencers who are complicit in endorsing oppression through silence: you should be utterly ashamed of yourself,” Aryam’s quote says. “It is high time for self reflection. Your position. Your sponsors. Your financial backers — they are all replaceable. What cannot be replaced is your integrity as a human being.”

Jewish Community Council of Victoria president, Daniel Aghion, called for the Victorian Racing Club to ban politically charged attire.

He added: “Highly visible political protests like this alienate other racegoers and create a highly charged, culturally unsafe environment”.