Supermodel Bella Hadid posted an apology to Arab followers on her social media, after her Instagram story sparked outrage.
She posted an Instagram story on Sunday of her foot facing airplanes, one being a UAE plane and the other a Saudi plane. From the angle of the photo, some felt it looked like she was kicking the flags on aircraft.
Twitter users said they were insulted, soon enough the hashtag #BellaHadidIsRacist starting trending. Hadid apologized in both English and Arabic on her Twitter and Instagram Story, saying that photo had “nothing to do with politics,” and in a separate tweet on Monday added, “This was an honest mistake on an early morning”.
this was an honest mistake on an early morning... never, ever would I intentionally try to offend anyone like that. I am so sorry ..❤️
— Bella Hadid (@bellahadid) 17 June 2019
“I am posting this to clear up a few things that have been weighing on my heart,” Hadid wrote on her Instagram Stories Monday. “To begin, I would never want my posts or platform to be used for hate against anyone, especially those of my own beautiful & powerful heritage. I love and care so much about the Muslim and Arab side of my family, as well as my brothers and sisters throughout the world,” she added.
— Bella Hadid (@bellahadid) 17 June 2019