A new pair of Puma trainers, released in the United Arab Emirates in celebration of the country's upcoming 40th National Day, has the country in an uproar.
The reason? The sneakers are red, white, black, and green, the same colors at the UAE flag, and Emiratis see the colors as a huge insult to the nation, according to Emirates 24/7.
One Emirati professional told the website:
Puma should have borne in mind the cultural sensitivities of the people of the UAE. The flag is a very sacred symbol for the UAE. It cannot be trivialised, especially not as footwear.
And the sentiment seems to be spreading; Emirates 24/7 said it had received several complaints about the sneakers and that the anger appeared to be "widespread."
Please follow The Life on Twitter and Facebook.
Join the conversation about this story »
See Also:
- The World's Most Expensive Apartment Building Is Filled With Tax Cheats And Ghosts
- THE COUNTRY'S PROBLEM IN A NUTSHELL: Apple's Huge New Data Center In North Carolina Created Only 50 Jobs
- Secret Bill To Be Voted On Today Would Allow The Military To Sweep Up US Citizens At Home Or Abroad