‘Black Lives Matter’ Trademark Applications Surge After Protests

As demonstrators gathered in cities across America to protest police brutality, some individuals were busy trying to trademark the slogans “Black Lives Matter” and “I Can’t Breathe” for use on merchandise, apparel and even wine.

Since May 25, when George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has received 26 requests to trademark the slogans, according to a review by Bloomberg. The surge in applications -- just 19 such requests were filed from 2014 to 2017 -- is a testament to the burgeoning cultural power of Black Lives Matter.

Four of the proposals ...