'The Bachelor's Victoria Fuller Posts Full Apology for White Lives Matter Controversy

Bachelor contestant Victoria Fuller has apologized for her decision to model a brand seemingly associated with the White Lives Matter movement.  

Photos of the 26-year-old Virginia Beach native sporting the brand’s apparel resurfaced in January, as Peter Weber’s season of the ABC franchise was just getting started. The offensive clothing was part of a campaign to oppose the overfishing of blue and white marlins. Apparel included a “White Lives Matter” t-shirt and a shirt that replaced the stars in the Confederate battle flag with little drawings of marlins.

Victoria posted a full apology in an Instagram Story on Feb. 15.

She first addressed the controversy in early January, responding to a post from the Instagram account BachelorClues. “It would be nice for you to gather all the facts before jumping to bash someone,” she wrote in the comments. As Instagram users continued to press her on her actions, she added, “I definitely see how this could be offensive. I apologize immensely it was never my intention to lessen this matter.”

The scandal came to a head after Victoria won the opportunity to appear on the digital cover of Cosmopolitan alongside Peter Weber in Week 5 of the show. The magazine almost immediately announced it would not run the cover in light of concerns over the White Lives Matter affiliation.

Victoria remains in the running to win The Bachelor after Peter chose her as part of his final four, alongside Hannah Ann Sluss, Kelsey Weier, and Madison Prewett.