Protestors have stormed a shopping centre to protest against the sale of a T-shirt carrying the slogan: “Grab America by the p****”.

The demonstration at the Lloyd Center in Portland, Oregon, was prompted by a photograph of the T-shirt that was circulated widely online.

Spencer's, a US chain that sells novelty gifts, has refused to take the T-shirts off sale and claimed the clothing is “political satire".

T-shirt (right) was displayed in the front of the shop alongside pro-Trump merchandise (Mary Numair)

But Mary Numair, who originally posted the photo of the T-shirt, said she shared the image as a "plea for decency".

"Sharing that image wasn't done to spark fights or create outrage," she said in a Facebook post. "It was a plea for decency, for basic human safety.

"If we are to ever make any progress going forward, there has to be some concrete boundaries understood by both sides."

After posting the photo on Facebook Ms Numair told The Independent she had received a torrent of rape threats online.

In a separate interview with US broadcaster Kato2, she said was not outraged at the fact that the shop was selling pro-Trump merchandise, but that the T-shirt was "making light" of the incoming President's infamous lewd statement.

"It's gross and it's infuriating, and for sexual assault survivors like myself it's disrespectful," she added.

Her friend Eric Ahlstrom, said he was with Ms Numair when they noticed the T-shirt and he too, insisted that it was "absolutely not a political issue".

"This is a moral issue." he said in a separate Facebook post. "The message this sends to people who frequent the mall [is:] This is okay. you can sexually assault women. deal with it.'

"Tiny moments of misunderstanding like these are what add up to normalisation."

Women go on strike against Donald Trump Show all 7 1 /7 Women go on strike against Donald Trump Women go on strike against Donald Trump People rally as part of a nationwide protest against US President-elect Donald Trump outside of Trump Tower on December 12, 2016 in New York. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images Women go on strike against Donald Trump Protestors march during a demonstration against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump near Trump Tower in the Manhattan borough of New York City, December 12, 2016. Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Women go on strike against Donald Trump Protestors march during a demonstration against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump near Trump Tower in the Manhattan borough of New York City, December 12, 2016. Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Women go on strike against Donald Trump People rally as part of a nationwide protest against US President-elect Donald Trump outside of Trump Tower on December 12, 2016 in New York. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images Women go on strike against Donald Trump People rally as part of a nationwide protest against US President-elect Donald Trump outside of Trump Tower on December 12, 2016 in New York. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images Women go on strike against Donald Trump People rally as part of a nationwide protest against US President-elect Donald Trump outside of Trump Tower on December 12, 2016 in New York. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images Women go on strike against Donald Trump People rally as part of a nationwide protest against US President-elect Donald Trump outside of Trump Tower on December 12, 2016 in New York. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images

But Kevin Mahoney, a vice president at Spencer Gifts LLC which sells the T-Shirt, insisted it was intended as "satire" similar to Alec Baldwin's portrayal of President-elect Trump on Saturday Night Live.

"The shirt originates with the comment made by the President-elect," he told Oregon Live. "The purpose of that shirt was to address that controversy and that news, and not in any way to condone that type of activity."

He added,"It was addressed at America and not towards women in particular."