Lego complains about UN anti-racism poster

Danish toy maker Lego today said it felt wrongly accused of being racist by a UN anti-discrimination poster showing what looked like one of the company’s famous building blocks.

The poster reads “Racism takes many shapes” and shows the picture of a jigsaw puzzle next to a red brick.

It was launched by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

“We feel that the message of this poster can be interpreted as if we are a racist company,” Lego spokeswoman Charlotte Simonsen said in Copenhagen.

“I don’t know if that’s what’s intended, but it’s definitely one way of interpreting it.”

The Geneva-based Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said no affiliation to Lego was intended and apologised for the misunderstanding.

“The poster is in no way a comment on the specific situation in Denmark or on Lego. It is unfortunate that the poster has been interpreted as such,” Diaz said.