Sometimes internet trolls don’t know when they’ve crossed the line – it’s either that, or they just don’t care about the line anymore – this was proven by one troll’s quest for likes and approval with his tasteless take on this week’s H&M debacle.
Kieron Marsh used his Twitter account to make a sick joke about Madeleine McCann, by photoshopping her face onto an H&M website image, which makes light of her disappearance back in 2007 as well as the race row caused by H&M this week.
Marsh also added the caption ‘Hide and seek champion’ which is tasteless tongue-and-cheek attempt at humour, it suggests she’s still alive somewhere, hiding and waiting to be found.
Absolutely disgusting from H&M I’m ashamed!! pic.twitter.com/il6rhIP2Vy
— Kieron Marsh (@MarshKieron01) January 11, 2018
When Marsh posted the Tweet he sarcastically wrote how it was ‘Absolutely disgusting from H&M. I’m ashamed’, implying the underfire store brand was in some sort of way associated with the photoshopped image.
Despite being made in poor taste Marsh’s post has been retweeted over 13,000 times and liked over 35,000 by users on Twitter.
Another Photoshop image emerged this week as well, this time of famed war diarist and holocaust victim Anne Frank who had her face placed on a similar image with the slogan ‘Coolest Jew In The Chamber’, a reference to the concentration camps set up by the Third Reich to carry out the genocide of the Jewish people in Europe during the Second World War. 6 million Jews were killed.
Three-year-old Maddie McCann went missing 11 years ago when she was on holiday in Portugal. Her parents, Kate and Gerry, left her and their two other children sleeping in their apartment while they ate dinner at a tapas bar 120 metres away.
First Maddie now Anne ?? pic.twitter.com/BB8f2BODOi
— Finn Tonnar (@finntonn) January 12, 2018
The investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance is still ongoing and has cost the police in the UK and Portugal at least £12 million according to The Sun.
Recently the Swedish fashion retailer has been under fire for its short-sightedness after one of their hoodies, was deemed racially insensitive. A picture of the garment in question was of a young black boy wearing a jumper which read ‘Coolest Monkey In The Jungle’.
While it appeared seemingly innocent, the term ‘monkey’ – when made in reference to those of African and Afro-Carribean descent – is considered a racist slur.
Twitter users were quick to call out H&M’s racially insensitive post and drew criticism from many celebrities in the black community including Romelu Lukaku, LeBron James and Questlove. R&B star The Weeknd announced he would no longer be collaborating or working alongside the Swedish fashion brand.
In a twist of irony, Terry Mango, the mother of the boy who was posing in the hoodie said she found absolutely nothing wrong with the picture that was taken.
Mango, who is of Kenyan descent, posted a picture of her son on Instagram with a written caption saying:
That’s my son…av [sic] been to all photo shoots and this was not an exception, everyone is entitled to their opinion about this.
This is one of hundreds of outfits my son has modelled… stop crying Wolf all the time, unnecessary issue.
Mango’s uncle, Kenyan-born music promoter Clay Onyango, confirmed the family have spoken to H&M and believe the brand had not intended for it to be racist. However, he did add there are still questions in need of answers.