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Axe condemns 'acts of violence and hate at the Capitol' after spray can photo goes viral

The body spray embraced by young men looking to smell attractive became an unlikely symbol at the Capitol.
/ Source: TODAY

During the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, the angry mob left behind debris such as broken glass, damaged furniture and one unlikely item — a lone can of Axe Marine body spray.

On Thursday, Mike DeBonis, a reporter for The Washington Post, tweeted a photo of the Axe spray can lying among the strewn trash in the Capitol.

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"Left by the mob: a lonely can of Axe body spray," wrote Debonis, after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol to contest the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Twitter users quickly reacted and made quips about Axe's signature sprays, which are popular among teenagers and young men. But one of the most unlikely replies came from the company that owns Axe.

Axe responded to the picture in a tweet, drawing a distinct line between the brand and the mob.

"We'd rather be lonely than with that mob," the company wrote. "AXE condemns yesterday's acts of violence and hate at the Capitol. We believe in the democratic process and the peaceful transition of power."

Many on social media left positive replies for the body spray company.

"axe condemns the coup yesterday at the capital !" tweeted one user. "thank you axe you truly are a great role model i hope you're all well."

"Relieved to hear that AXE body spray believes in the democratic process and the peaceful transition of power," added another person.

"Gonna pump a few extra sprays in your honor," commented yet another.

Unilever, the company that owns Axe, told TODAY that while they were an unlikely company to comment on what happened, they could not stay silent on where they stand.

"It’s not lost on us that it was unexpected for AXE to weigh in on this conversation," said a spokesperson for Unilever in an email to TODAY. "However, when a Washington Post reporter shared an image of an AXE can among the devastation at the Capitol after Wednesday’s attack, we wanted to make clear where we stand. There should be no ambiguity when it comes to violence and hate. As we said in our tweet, we believe in the democratic process and the peaceful transition of power."

Other companies have since issued statements following Wednesday's storming of the Capitol and its ensuing riot. Ben & Jerry's condemned the riots on social media and top executives from Google, BlackRock and JP Morgan Chase all denounced the violence in Washington.