Papa John’s has told white supremacists not to buy its pizzas after a neo-Nazi website endorsed the popular American pizza delivery chain.

The controversy emerged after Papa John’s, the official pizza of the NFL and one of the league’s major sponsors, said ongoing player protests against police brutality and racial injustice during the national anthem were damaging its sales last week.

For over a year some NFL players have chosen to sit out of the national anthem to protest the killing of black people by police officers and other forms of racial injustice.

Papa John’s founder and CEO, John Schnatter, responded by saying: “The NFL has hurt us. We are disappointed the NFL and its leadership did not resolve this.”

While Papa John's was accused of racism and lambasted for making bad pizza for the remark by many, neo-Nazis monopolised on the comments.

The Daily Stormer, an American neo-Nazi and white supremacist site, went so far as to proclaim Papa John’s the official pizza of the so-called “alt-right” - a political movement which has been accused of racism, antisemitism, and misogyny and of sharing an ideology with far-right parties such as the French National Front.

The publication shared a photo of a pizza with pepperoni arranged in the shape of a swastika alongside the caption "Papa John: Official pizza of the alt-right?" and “Sieg Heil Pizza” – the latter being a reference to a chant used during the Nazis’ mass rallies.

“This might be the first time ever in modern history that a major institution is going to be completely destroyed explicitly because of public outrage over their anti-white agenda,” Adrian Sol, a Daily Stormer writer, wrote in reference to the NFL.

Mike Cernovich, a far-right firebrand and conspiracy theorist, thanked the franchise – which is the third largest pizza takeout chain in the US - on Twitter and branded Papa John’s “America’s pizza”.

But the senior director of public relations at Papa John’s, Peter Collins, said the firm was surprised by the promotion.

“We condemn racism in all forms and any and all hate groups that support it. We do not want these individuals or groups to buy our pizza,” Mr Collins said in a statement.

The Daily Stormer, which has called itself “The World’s Most Genocidal Republican Website,” has been identified as the “top hate site in America” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

It endorsed Mr Trump’s presidential bid in 2015, posting a story titled “Heil Donald Trump – The Ultimate Savior” after Mr Trump proposed introducing a total ban on Muslim immigration. The site publishes content denigrating Jewish people, Muslims, people of colour and women.

It was rejected by a number of domain registrars in August 2017 after it prompted outrage for posted a scathing article about the woman who was killed at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville. It subsequently moved to the dark web.

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

This is by no means the first time the far right has caused a brand to outrightly reject being associated with them. Last November, the editor of The Daily Stormer Andrew Anglin declared New Balance the “Official Shoes of White People.”

The blogger wrote: “I’m a Nike guy. Or rather, I was. It’s time to get on-board with New Balance now. Their brave act has just made them the official brand of the Trump Revolution.”