Two Black girls were denied service at an H&M store in a now-viral video that has ignited outrage online and renewed calls for corporate accountability.
The incident, which many are calling an example of racial profiling, was captured and posted by user @yoitsnoela or Noela Mamuya on social media, where it has already drawn thousands of reactions and comments.
In the footage, an H&M store manager is seen refusing to let the girls shop, stating:
“I don’t have to have a reason, that is my reason… I’m refusing you service.”
The girls, visibly confused, continue to press the manager for clarification. She then claims to have seen the girls in the store previously but provides no evidence and admits she isn’t accusing them of anything specific.
“Are you saying we were stealing?” one of the girls asks. “Do you have a picture you could show us?”
The manager responds by saying she wasn’t making that claim but wanted them to leave to prevent any chance of them becoming “violent.”
“Violent!?” the girls exclaim, shocked by the implication, before laughing in disbelief and walking out of the store.
A security officer present at the scene later offers to speak to the girls outside. The encounter left many viewers stunned, especially given the absence of any stated reason for the refusal of service.
On social media, support poured in for the girls, with many calling for legal action and a boycott of the brand.
“No problem… walk the [expletive] out, call corporate, get a lawyer, file a lawsuit and go spend your money somewhere else!!!” one comment read.“The way I’d sue and rename that store with both of our names is crazyyyyy… and necessary,” said another. “Oh yea go get y’all money. They definitely profiled y’all,” said a third.
As of now, H&M has not released an official statement regarding the incident. Users across TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) are urging the retailer to address the situation publicly and transparently.
This is not the first time H&M has faced backlash for alleged racial insensitivity. The brand came under fire in 2018 for an ad that featured a Black child modeling a hoodie with the phrase “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle,” prompting widespread condemnation and celebrity boycotts.
Calls for the store manager’s termination and corporate accountability continue to grow, with many emphasizing the emotional toll that racial profiling takes on young Black customers.
