Coca-Cola Norway recently released a campaign in celebration of the holy month of Ramadan in which the brand's logo was altered to look like a crescent moon. But, with Islamophobes infesting planet Earth, one would expect some backlash to follow.
Members of the far-right in Norway and the world decided to give their two Islamophobic cents following the release of the brand's Ramadan campaign.
"Islam is not welcome or wanted in beautiful Norway. Go to an Islamic country with this c**p. Try marketing Christian holidays there," one user reportedly wrote on Instagram.
Many soon began calling for the boycott of Coca-Cola, threatening to start consuming Pepsi if the campaign is not retracted.
Norway is home to a fast-growing Muslim community, making up 5.7 percent of the country's population. So, it's only natural to see Coca-Cola commemorating an important month for Muslims.
The local brand's marketing manager, Johanna Kosanovic, highlighted that this would be the first time Coca-Cola Norway releases an ad in celebration of Ramadan.
"Now for the first time in Norway, we want to celebrate Ramadan together with Norwegian Muslims," said Kosanovic.
Fatima Almanea, a Muslim member of the left-wing Labour Party, referred to the campaign as a "very positive" step towards inclusivity.
But, it seems as though Islamophobes want Muslims to be treated as outcasts. What's worse is the fact that they publicly voice their hate on social media.
"Thinking of boycotting"
"I will have no choice but to boycott your products"
"Time for me to stop drinking it then"
The Islamophobia has been awakened
Hate crimes and discriminatory practices against those of the Islamic faith continue to take place in many countries across Europe, and the case is no different in Norway.
In 2017, a hairdresser in Norway was fined for turning away a hijabi from her hair salon in Bryne, a small town in southwestern Norway.
That same year, an image that seemingly appeared to show six women in burqas sitting in a bus, sparked a heated debate in a private Norwegian anti-immigration Facebook group called "Fatherland first." Members of the far-right group felt that the photo was proof of "the Islamification of Norway."
Turns out, the image wasn't actually of women in burqas; it was just empty bus seats.
"I'm shocked by how much hate and fake news is spread there. The hatred that was displayed toward some empty bus seats really shows how much prejudices trump wisdom," a member of the group said at the time.
The above incident came just a month after Norway proposed a bill that would effectively ban the burqa, a face veil worn by some Muslim women, in the country's schools and kindergartens. A year later, in 2018, Norway's parliament approved the bill.
