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Angry protesters incensed by a "racist" advert have ransacked and destroyed several H&M stores.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) targeted six of the Swedish fashion group's shops in Johannesburg, South Africa today.

Video shows protesters tearing down shop displays and throwing clothes around.

During one clash, officers were forced to fire rubber bullets to disperse the protesters, police said.

The high street store faced a huge backlash earlier this week after featuring a photo of a little boy, who is black, wearing a green hoodie with the slogan "coolest monkey in the jungle" on it.

H&M earlier this week issued an apology for the widely criticised ad.

(Image: REUTERS)

(Image: Yusuf Abramiee)

The compay said it had removed all traces of the image from all its marketing.

But Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, spokesman for the ultra-left EFF, said that was too little, too late.

"The time of apologies for racism are over; there must be consequences to anti-black racism, period!" Ndlozi wrote onTwitter, posting pictures of a vandalised H&M store and video footage of chanting EFF supporters.

H&M has apologised for the advertisement.

(Image: H&M)

(Image: Yusuf Abramiee)

"Our position is simple, we have got this wrong and we are deeply sorry," the apology read.

Police said they were monitoring the protests, but that they had made no arrests so far.

It is not just in South Africa that people have been outraged by the image.

Popstar The Weeknd cut all ties with the company after seeing the advert and Manchester United footballer Romelu Lukakushared got involved in the row by sharing a digitally doctored version of the ad.

(Image: Bloomberg) (Image: Facebook)

The alternate version had the slogan 'Black is Beautiful' written on the hoodie.

However it seems the little boy's mum Terry Mango, who lives in Sweden, was not bothered by the photograph.

In a post, that was widely shared on social media, she wrote: "Am the mum and this is one of hundreds of outfits my son has modelled

"Stop crying wolf all the time. Unnecessary issue here… get over it."