Councillor trolled on Twitter over Amazon's 'offensive' Allah doormat

A Labour councillor says she has received a "torrent of abuse" since it was reported that internet retail giants Amazon had been forced to apologise about doormat and dog mat product lines it was stocking. The products, which bore the name of Allah in Arabic script, sparked controversy as some complained that they allowed people to wipe their feet on the name of God.

Amazon said it had removed the product after the issue was highlighted by a Birmingham-based councillor, Mariam Khan. Khan apparently complained to Amazon after a number of her constituents told her they found them offensive.

In a post on her Facebook page, Khan said: "I've received a torrent of abuse from people on Twitter since I raised this issue with Amazon about the door mats. I know so many other people also reported it which led us to get them removed off the website.

One Twitter user responded to the 26-year-old councillor with pictures of the Prophet Mohammad depicted as a pig in drag. Another asked: "Are people only allowed to sell things that don't offend you?"

Another asked: "Are people only allowed to sell things that don't offend you?"

The abuse follows Khan raising the issue with Amazon via Twitter last week (November 28). She tweeted: "These mats are extremely offensive to Muslims & out of order. @amazon @AmazonHelp please remove these from your site immediately."

Shortly afterwards she said: "I have spoken to @amazon and have been told that they will be removed but in order for it to be done quicker we need more complaints."

Speaking to the Birmingham Sunday Mercury, Khan congratulated Amazon for its recent advert depicting a friendship between an imam and a priest, she said that was undermined by the mats.

Khan said: "I think it would be offensive to anyone of any religious faith to have items such as this on their doorstep with their religious scriptures in them to wipe their feet on.

"If these items had words from the Bible on them, they would be just as offensive," she added "I feel it is targeting Islam and flies in the face of what is a very good TV advert for Christmas that includes an imam and priest. It highlights a multi-faith approach."

Amazon said the rugs were placed on sale on its site by a third-party retailer and it had not known the offensive items were available. Nonetheless, Amazon told Mercury on Sunday: "We can confirm that the products are no longer for sale."