Turkey's Erdogan tells people to boycott French goods as Macron says 'attacks should stop'

As tensions brew between France and Middle Eastern nations, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has now called on countrymen to boycott French products. France has hardened its stance against radical Islam after the killing of a French teacher who showed cartoons of Prophet Muhammad in class. 

Macron had said that the teacher, Samuel Paty, "was killed because Islamists want our future", but France would "not give up our cartoons". The visual depiction of Prophet Muhammad in any form since can cause serious offence to Islamic fundamentalists because they believe it amounts to blasphemy.

"As it has been said in France, 'don't buy Turkish-labelled goods', I call on my people here. Never give credit to French-labelled goods, don't buy them," Erdogan said during a televised address on October 26.

The call for a boycott of French goods follows his comment on the French President while criticising his attitude toward Islam and Muslims. Erdogan said that Macron “needs treatment” for his mental health condition, prompting France to recall its Ambassador to Turkey for consultation. The French Presidency said, "excess and rudeness are not a method," adding that "we are not accepting insults." 

Read: France Urges Middle East To Stop Boycott Of French Products As Macron Defends Cartoons

Read: Pakistan Summons French Ambassador To Lodge 'strong Protest' Over 'Islamophobic Campaign'

French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian later blasted Turkish authorities for not condemning the terrorist attack and resorting to “hateful and slanderous propaganda” against France. He called the conduct “unacceptable”, especially from an allied nation, adding that the French Ambassador to Turkey has been recalled for consultations.

Boycott of French goods

The ongoing controversy surrounding cartoons of Prophet Muhammad and Macron’s defence has led to the boycott of French goods in some supermarket of Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar. The French foreign ministry has urged the Arab countries to immediately halt the boycott, saying calls for a boycott distort France’s position on freedom of expression and freedom of religion.

"These calls for boycott are baseless and should stop immediately, as well as all attacks against our country, which are being pushed by a radical minority," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Read: Turkey Says It Offered Condolences Over Teacher's Beheading After France Recalls Envoy

Read: France Withdraws Ambassador From Turkey After Erdogan Questions Macron's Mental State