Responding to the news that discount grocery chain Lidl deliberately airbrushed crosses from the Orthodox churches featured on packaging for its Eridanous product line, an Olomouc man went out for some groceries on Sunday—giant crucifix in hand.
Dressed as a Christian monk the man and a white-robed female partner went into a Lidl store, reportedly filling a basket with over 2,000 CZK worth of Greek-style food and then deciding once the groceries had been rung up, that they were unable to pay.
Police were called but no legal action was taken, despite claims by management that the duo was frightening customers.
The man, who has been identified as Czech activist Martin Zapletal, noted on his Facebook profile that he was protesting the supermarket chain having erased the crosses from the blue-domed Orthodox churches on its packaging for Greek items.
Following severe public backlash including calls for a Lidl boycott as well as harsh criticism from Czech Cardinal Dominik Duka the Czech branch of the discount supermarket chain has since apologized for the ad campaign; a Lidl corporate spokesperson said that no intentional statement was being made by the redesign.