H&M stores in South Africa trashed by protesters after 'racist' ad

**Wilsonandson** · 14-01-2018, 11:05 AM

Guardian staff and agencies
Sat 13 Jan 2018

Johannesburg police forced to clear demonstrators angered by advertisement of black child with inscription ‘coolest monkey in the jungle’

South African police have cleared protesters who were trashing outlets of Swedish clothing giant H&M in Johannesburg over a controversial advertisement of a black child. A photo on the company’s online website of a black boy wearing a green hoodie with the inscription “coolest monkey in the jungle” had triggered outrage on social media and among observers worldwide.

The company has pulled the photograph but the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – a radical group set up by the expelled head of the youth wing of the ruling African National Congress – organised protests at several H&M outlets in and around Johannesburg. There were also protests outside a store in Cape Town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_Bql_xSWUU&feature=youtu.be

Video footage showed activists trashing displays, kicking over and pulling down clothes rails and pushing over mannequins.

Protesters in front of an H&M store in Cape Town on Saturday. Photograph: Social Media/Reuters“Several incidents of protests at H&M stores around the province have been reported,” South African police said in a tweet. “At the East Rand mall the protesters managed to enter the shop & stole several items. SAPS members had to intervene and dispersed the group of protesters by firing rubber bullets.”

Floyd Shivambu from EFF said: “That @hm nonsense of a clothing store is now facing consequences for its racism. All rational people should agree that the store should not be allowed to continue operating in South Africa.” H&M South Africa did not respond to a request for comment, but its local website carried an apology for the advertisement. “Our position is simple, we have got this wrong and we are deeply sorry,” the apology read.

H&M is not the only major company to be hit by an advertisement scandal in recent years. Spanish clothing brand Zara in 2014 removed striped pyjamas with a yellow star after facing outrage over its resemblance to clothes worn by Jewish prisoners in concentration camps. And in October last year, personal care brand Dove apologised after it was accused of racism for airing a commercial showing a black woman turning into a white woman after removing her top.

Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report.

https://news.google.co.uk/news/amp?c...-ad#pt0-223819

**Wilsonandson** · 14-01-2018, 11:18 AM

The racist advert.

**Bogon** · 14-01-2018, 11:52 AM

What is this world coming to?

Who hasn't ever called a cheeky kid a little monkey before?

The print on the top obviously has nothing to with race, and society nowadays are starting to see (interpret) things that are not even there.

The kid's mum even came out last week and told the media to calm down.

The only thing H&M are guilty of is selling polo tops that lose their shape after a wash or 2.

**misskit** · 14-01-2018, 02:05 PM

^ My siblings and I were told we were adopted from the zoo as monkeys and had our tails clipped off.

You have to be careful about calling Thai children monkeys. They are offended, too.

**uncle junior** · 14-01-2018, 02:12 PM

It's a shithole country anyway

**wasabi** · 14-01-2018, 03:48 PM

The South African Aborigines are displaying a pattern of behaviour that is practised world wide by their cousins from original Africa.
Loot and steal from the European. Find any excuse for rioting and stealing, because nobody will do anything to stop a victimised black from fighting back against his oppression. Stealing and looting is the justification of an out of court settlement for oppressed black workers.
Coming to a neighbourhood near you as more flood into the USA and Australia, it's an African future.