Police confirm rubber bullets fired in H&M protests as shop looted
Johannesburg – Police have confirmed that rubber bullets were used to disperse protestors wearing EFF regalia at the East Rand Mall on Saturday.
Police spokesperson, Colonel Lungelo Dlamini, said protestors had managed to gain entrance to the H&M shop in the East Rand Mall and steal several items.
“Police had to intervene and dispersed the group of protesters by firing rubber bullets,” Dlamini said.
In Menlyn, protestors had also managed to enter the shop and threw clothing around.
“At this stage nothing has been reported to have been stolen,” Dlamini said.
H&M stores in other areas are reported to have been closed, and police are monitoring the situation.
No arrests have been effected so far.
Ultimatum
Speaking outside the H&M in Menlyn Mall, Tshwane chairperson or the EFF, Benjamin Disoloane, said the protest was against H&M, which was a “racist shop" based on their actions as reported on in the media.
“We are here to tell them. We don’t want them to say anything to us, we are telling them to close the shop. If they are not going to close the shop, they must just know we are going to be here almost every day, starting from today,” he said.
Disoloane also issued an ultimatum to the shop management, demanding that they force H&M to close.
“This shop must close. We want to call this management of this complex to make sure as from today this shop must close. If they want peace they must close this shop,” he said.
Protests also hit H&M in Cape Town EFF protestors also targeted H&M stores in Cape Town, including the store in Canal Walk.
Bernard Joseph, EFF Western Cape chairperson, said they were protesting against H&M, and were hoping to convince H&M management to refrain from portraying their children as monkeys coming from the jungle."We trust that H&M will listen to our demands," he said.
However, shortly after H&M's HR manager Randall April read out the formal apology relating to the advert to the protestors, which was issued by H&M international on January 9, Joseph was quick to voice his disappointment. "In terms of accepting or not accepting your apology, it is not my prerogative."
One of the reasons why we, as the Western Cape are supporting our national leadership in terms of this call, is that it is clear that the Western Cape is rife with racism.
"We can’t accept that H&M, after what they have done, is coming now and saying we apologise." "Apology se gat," he said. Eyewitness reports also indicated that EFF supporters had protested at the H&M Waterfront store.
One person reported seeing EFF supporters looting the store before police arrived, evacuated the store and closed it, with some protesters still inside. Gauteng shopping centres “business as usual” The Sandton City Shopping Centre confirmed on twitter that they had engaged with the team leaders of the EFF and that the protest outside H&M would dissipate after they have been issued with the corporate statement of apology by H&M.
“We would like to assure our customers that the safety and security of all shoppers and tenants is of paramount importance and we apologise for any inconvenience caused. Sandton City remains open for trade as normal,” they tweeted. Menlyn Park Shopping Centre Management also confirmed the protest action at H&M store, saying that the safety and security of their customers, staff and tenants was of utmost importance, and the affected area has been secured by the South African Police Serves (SAPS)
Update:
H&M stores are closed because they called our children baboons – Malema
Johannesburg - EFF leader Julius Malema says H&M stores in South Africa are closed, "because they called our children baboons".
Malema was addressing what they call "Ground Forces" on their 2018 programme in Westernberg, Limpopo on Saturday afternoon.
"We are teaching them [H&M] a lesson, we are not going to allow anyone to use the colour of our skin to humiliate us, or to exclude us. We are black and we are proud. We are black and we are beautiful. We are black and we are not ashamed of being black."
The retailer came under fire after it showed a black child in a sweatshirt with the words "Coolest monkey in the jungle," printed on it.
H&M has since apologised and removed the image as well as the sweater from retail.
A large group of EFF supporters stormed H&M stores in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town on Saturday, trashing the stores in an apparent protest of an online ad that has been labelled racist.
Gauteng police confirmed that they had used rubber bullets to disperse protesters at the East Rand Mall in Johannesburg.
'They went because they wanted to go'
Police spokesperson Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said protestors had managed to gain entrance to the H&M shop in the East Rand Mall and steal several items.
“Police had to intervene and dispersed the group of protesters by firing rubber bullets,” Dlamini said.
Malema said they did not send EFF supporters to trash the stores.
"They went because they wanted to go. To say people were sent, it means you are undermining black people that they cannot think on their own. Malema would never put a gun on anyone to go to H&M," Malema said.
Malema is not the Holy Spirit, he can't be everywhere all the time, he said.
'Be humble'
PR and communications manager for H&M South Africa, Amelia-May Woudstra said stores in the country have been temporarily closed.
"What matters most to us is the safety of our employees and customers. None of our staff or customers have been injured," Woudstra said.
She said they would continue to monitor the situation and would open the stores as soon as everything was safe again.
"We strongly believe that racism and bias in any shape or form, deliberate or accidental, are simply unacceptable. We stress that our wonderful store staff had nothing to do with our poorly judged product and image."
Malema said they were hoping to build a powerful organisation that would put a roof over the heads of African children.
"No African child should go to bed hungry where there is a branch of the EFF or where there is a councillor of the EFF," Malema said.
He said leaders should always be humble and be a servant of the people.
"You cannot be the servant of the people when you suffer from arrogance. Every time you want to be noticed that you are president. Sometimes it helps to arrive and keep quiet and leave without being recognised."
“Sometimes you don't have to be in front to be called a leader, you can lead from behind with your ideas,” he said.
"Never be ahead of your people when you are a leader."
