Fashion retail giant H&M have closed all stores in South Africa following protests in the stores locations.
The protesters were reacting to an ad in which a black child wore a sweatshirt that bore the slogan “coolest monkey in the jungle.” It appeared on the British version of the Swedish retailer’s online store.
Some social media users shared footage claiming to show demonstrators throwing racks of clothing to the ground. Images show merchandise in tangled heaps and toppled security sensors.
H&M said in a statement that it’s “aware of the recent events inside several of our South African stores,” and it has “temporarily” closed all stores in the country. According to the company’s website, H&M has 17 locations in South Africa.
“None of our staff or customers have been injured,” H&M said. “We continue to monitor the situation closely and will open the stores as soon as the situation is safe again.”
Photo Credit: Getty
