Stockholm-based clothing retail giant H&M recently released an advertisement depicting a five-year-old black boy in a hoodie bearing the words ‘Coolest monkey in the jungle’.
Due to the history of the word ‘monkey’, the advert sparked not only nationwide but worldwide outrage. Several celebrities were also furious about the advert, with two musicians (The Weeknd and G-Eazy) going so far as to end their partnerships with the company.
They took to social media to express their disgust and to also make their individual fan-bases aware of the separations.
Read the initial article here: March at Clearwater now over
It also saw American basketball legend LeBron James and Belgian soccer superstar Romelu Lukaku take to social media to express their disgust.
Also Read: In photos: Today’s EFF protest at H&M Clearwater Mall
International celebrities were not the only ones outraged by H&M’s advert, with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) taking their own form of action against the clothing retailer on Saturday, 13 January.
The EFF initiated protests and marches nationwide at H&M stores, with some groups even looting the stores.
However, the march at Clearwater Mall remained one of controlled protest.
Leaders from the EFF ensured the group remained in line and did not cause any unnecessary trouble, with members of the Joburg Metropolitan Police Department and the South African Police present at the scene.
Hendswell Baloyi, the Head of Professionals and Students Affairs in Gauteng, led the protest, which saw chants of protest against H&M boom throughout the mall, with nearly 100 protesters joining the march. He also had a number of strong messages for H&M.
“If we hear the shop has been opened here, we are going to mobilise all branches and we’ll come back. Any day H&M opens the store, fighters will be here,” Baloyi warned.
“We are not going to allow H&M to operate in this country. They must leave with immediate effect.”
Every chant was met with cheers of support from the protesters.
Baloyi was not the only one who spoke out against H&M, with one anonymous member of staff from a shop at the mall also voicing his opinion to the Northsider.
“One has to question the thought process that goes into an advert like that,” he said. “Okay, they said they made sure it was okay with the child, but how is a five-year-old child going to know the significance and history of the word ‘monkey’?”
To conclude, Baloyi had just one thing to say to the clothing giant: “This is the start. This is the beginning.”
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