Are You Upset Over Adidas’ New ‘Shackle’ Sneakers?

Can sneakers really be controversial? I guess so when it comes to new Adidas sneakers with plastic ankle shackles. The new Adidas JS Roundhouse Mids, that were supposed to come out in August, are already drawing criticism online as being shoes with overtones of slavery or inmates. Not that Adidas is promoting that explicitly.

The Adidas Originals Facebook page posted a photo of the sneakers last week, and many users left angry comments about them, charging they are particularly offensive to African-Americans because they evoke imagery of slavery, as well as chain gang prisoners. An Adidas spokesman told Fox in a statement, "The JS Roundhouse Mid is part of the Fall/Winter 2012 design collaboration with Adidas Originals. For more on the story, here is ABC News.