Kuala Lumpur: Hashtag ‘Boycott French Products’ has trended on social media since France’s President Emmanuel Macron commented on ‘radical Islam’ and publicly defended Charlie Hebdo magazine’s Prophet Mohammed cartoons.
Macron has been facing a huge backlash from the Middle East and the Islamic world for his remark on Islam. People of the Muslim community have called out to boycott french goods, burning flags and effigy of President Emmanuel Macron.
Who started campaign?
Hashtag Boycott French Products started trending all over the social media soon after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a boycott of French goods. Criticising France President’s remark, Erdogan said Macron needed his mental check-up done as he does not know anything about Islam.
Pakistan PM Imran Khan also blasted Macron, alleging that he is ‘attacking Islam’.
According to reports, Qatar, Egypt, Kuwait, Pakistan, Jordan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Bangladesh, Iraq, Libya, Syria and many other Muslim countries have removed France’s goods from its malls and shops in protest against Macron’s remark.
What Macron had said?
Defending France’s freedom of speech during his address at the memorial for teacher Samuel Paty, who was beheaded for showing Prophet Mohammed’s caricature in a classroom, Macron said that incident was the “Islamist terrorism”. Macron also said that Islam as religion is in “crisis”.
Macron also ensured that France would not “give up” caricature of Prophet Mohammed and will continue to fight against the radical people.
What is #WeStandWithFrance?
Many European countries have expressed support for France and criticised the Turkish President’s remark on Macron. Germany stated that Macron has said nothing wrong and Erdogan’s comment is completely unacceptable. Greek said it is the ‘European way of life’.
Meanwhile, a new trend, ‘#WeStandWithFrance’ appeared on Twitter on Tuesday as thousands of Indian people have come out in support of Macron.
How France Reacts?
France is not willing to budge from its President Macron’s remark, saying that it’s a stupid and ‘baseless’ campaign run by radical Muslim people. While Macron also reacted amid the huge hue and cry over his comment on Islam, saying, “We will not give in, ever. We respect all differences in a spirit of peace”.