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

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

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.

'As a black woman I'm always fetishised': racism in the bedroom Read more

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.

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

Facebook Twitter Pinterest 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.