Dolce & Gabbana Face Discrimination Row From Hong Kong Protestors
DOLCE & GABBANA are the target of repeated protests outside one of its Hong Kong outlets. Protestors have argued that staff from DOLCE & GABBANA have discriminated against them.
Earlier this month, news reports suggested that sales staff were preventing Hong Kong people, but not Chinese or foreigners, from taking pictures of the shop windows. Local newspapers had published photos of a staff member even threatening to smash a photographer's camera if he didn't stop. Over fifty protestors gathered outside a Dolce & Gabbana store in Hong Kong today (15 Jan 2012), demanding and yelling for the company to apologise. Even though the shop was closed, they taped posters on the window saying 'Apologise or get out'. According to Associated Press, a 29-year-old engineer Steven Chan stated: 'You're selling a brand that people respect and want to buy but they're not living up to that. They definitely need to say sorry.' People have even posted angry comments on the main website and company's Facebook page. The company released in a statement this week that they have 'not taken part in any action aiming at offending the Hong Kong public.'
The protest comes in conjunction with growing resentment among local residents over the growing influence that wealthy mainland Chinese have over the city, a former British colony. The case continues.