H&M Stores Trashed in S. Africa Anti-Racism Protest, eNCA Says

(Bloomberg) -- Two outlets of Swedish retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB in South Africa were trashed in an anti-racism protest by the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters party on Saturday, broadcaster eNCA reported.

The targeted stores are in shopping malls in Johannesburg’s financial district, Sandton, and the capital, Pretoria, eNCA reported on its website, showing pictures of mannequins and clothes scattered on the floor. This is part of a nationwide protest by the EFF against an ad for a child’s sweater which was seen as racist. Demonstrations were also taking place at other malls in the Gauteng province, eNCA said.

H&M this week pulled the garment in question from its stores and apologized. An image in its online store showed a black child modeling a hoodie with the text “coolest monkey in the jungle,” causing a social-media storm and prompting Canadian musician The Weeknd to end his collaboration with the Stockholm-based company.

To contact the reporter on this story: Rene Vollgraaff in Johannesburg at rvollgraaff@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Gordon Bell at gbell16@bloomberg.net, Ville Heiskanen

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