Protesters trash H&M stores as race row over 'coolest monkey in the jungle' hoodie featuring black child model escalates

An H&M store in South Africa has been trashed by activists angry at the clothing retailer's 'coolest monkey in the jungle' hoodie advert that featured a black child model. Violence spilled over in least six malls as the latest race row to engulf the Swedish brand escalated, forcing the police to fire rubber bullets at protesters. At least two stores, at Menlyn Park and Sandton, have been trashed. Video taken at the Menlyn Park store, shows two activists trashing displays, kicking over and pulling down clothes rails as well as pushing over mannequins. Demonstrators at Sandton (right) were filmed outside the store, chanting and dancing.
Floyd Shivambu, spokesman for the Economic Freedom Fighters party, praised the action, saying the retailer was ‘now facing the consequences for its racism’.The H&M store in the Menlyn Mall after it was attacked by the Economic Freedom Fighters

Police were forced to fire rubber bullets at protesters as the violence escalated

The Swedish retailer, which has 4,500 stores in 62 countries, opened its first store in Africa two years ago

H&M found itself at the centre of a public backlash when it failed to feature any black models in its advertisin

Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters staged a protest outside an H&M store at the Sandton mall in South Africa