H&M sites trashed in ‘monkey’ mess
PROTESTERS TRASHED some H&M stores in South Africa after the clothing company ran a controversial ad of a black child wearing a green “coolest monkey in the jungle” hoodie many critics slammed as racist.
The Economic Freedom Fighters’ party — a radical opposition party — organized the protests at stores across Johannesburg on Saturday, the BBC reported.
Videos and photos on social media showed a protester overturning clothing racks and mannequins at one location. Others showed clothes scattered on the floor and demonstrators holding signs outside an H&M store.
“We make no apology about what the fighters did today,” EFF leader Julius Malema said Saturday. “We are not going to allow anyone to use the color of our skin to humiliate us and to exclude us.”
The Swedish clothing company has apologized for the image and removed the hoodie from its stores.
“Our position is simple — we have got this wrong and we are deeply sorry,” a post on H&M’s website read. “We strongly believe that racism and bias in any shape or form, deliberate or accidental, are unacceptable and not in line with our values.”
Celebrities, including NBA star LeBron James, singer The Weeknd and rapper Diddy, have expressed outrage over the ad.
However, the child model’s mother said she didn’t find it offensive.