Gigi Hadid may be facing the wrath of internet users for what they are calling a racist joke, but her man Zayn Malik is standing by her.
The fashion model hit headlines this week for posting a video on Instagram in which she squints her eyes while holding a Buddha cookie, triggering outraged tweets slamming her "racist joke" that "mocked Asians".
Hadid's boyfriend, former One Direction star Malik, is of Asian descent and has been dragged into the controversy, but the couple has been spotted in public since then.
Hadid, 21, was dressed in a navy sweater and leather pants, while Malik, 24, wore a T-Rex sweater and jeans. They're said to have been on a 'low-key date' in Los Angeles on February 7 (local time).
On Twitter, Malik defended his gal, initially brushing off criticisms of her by saying "Trust me.. she likes Asians."
This in turn made him a target for the outraged messages, so he tweeted a statement on the matter.
It's not the first time Hadid pushed buttons with her zany humour - she was accused of racism when she mocked Melania Trump's accent at an awards show last year.
She's also caused complaints for alleged cultural appropriation with some of her looks.
Hadid is scheduled to model at a Tommy Hilfiger show this week.
Newshub.
