Last week, fans have been calling out Disney and Marvel asking the studios to demand that the police refrain from wearing the Punisher logo. Protestors who have been joining the rallies for the Black Lives Matter movement have noticed the police wearing Punisher logos during the protest, and the use of the Skull symbol has sparked another layer of outrage.
Unfortunately, it seems like Disney and Marvel can't do much about the police using the Punisher logo. While protestors want Marvel to enforce a ban on the use of the Punisher's Skull symbol, Comic Book Resources say that the studio doesn't have that much legal recourse to achieve that kind of request.
The studio has spoken out against the police's use of the vigilante's logo, however, Marvel can't enforce a kind of ban. The Punisher symbol is a trademark that allows for the use of intellectual property outside of commerce. Since the police aren't making money off the logo, then Marvel and Disney can't really go after the organization for the use of the Punisher symbol.
Marvel could probably advise sellers against selling to the police, but that would also be discrimination. Once you have purchased fully licensed merchandise, you gain the broad right to use the item in whatever way you wish.
Perhaps if the police were to sell posters or decals of the logo, then Disney could go after them.
What do you think of the police using the Punisher symbol? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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