A bakery in Edmonds, Washington, stirred up controversy over a politically-charged sugar cookie adorned with the words “Build that Wall” — a reference to President Donald Trump’s repeated statements to build a wall along the US-Mexico border.
Ken Bellingham, owner of Edmonds Bakery, told NBC-affiliate King 5 News that the pink-frosted heart cookie was meant as a joke, not a political statement.
Customer Ana Carrera snapped a photo of the cookie sitting in a display case at the bakery and shared it on Facebook. She said the message on the cookie is no laughing matter.
“A cookie like this does represent that there is some hate coming out this bakery,” she told the news outlet. “Whether he chooses to admit it or not.”
Ever since Carrera’s post started making the rounds on social media, other people have lashed out at the bakery.
“Hatred and racism is NOT a joke. Not even on a cookie,” Facebook user Henry John Bridger II wrote on the bakery’s page. “If you say it was a ‘mistake’, it shows us who you are to your core — a racist. If you truly weren’t a racist you would have never even made that cookie or thought it would be a joke.”
Another outraged Facebook user by the name of Rich Wending suggested people stop shopping at the bakery.
Some on Facebook, however, came to the bakery’s defense writing that they were not going to let the controversy deter them from visiting the shop.
“There is nothing racist about Edmonds Bakery and we will continue supporting this awesome local business,” Trisha Ruis wrote.
Bellingham said the blowback from the “Build that Wall” cookie has been intense and people are now labeling him as “some horrible person.”
“Some are a little risqué, some are nice,” he explained to King 5 News about the cookies. “I try to be funny.”
Bellingham did not return repeated calls by NBC News for comment. The bakery apologized in writing to several people on Facebook that the wording on the cookie was a “mistake.”
Other cookies in the case had messages that said “Cool Beans,” “Addicted to Love” and “Believe.”
