PHOTO: TWITTER
While discussing Zayn’s decision to quit the band, Maher compared the British-Pakistani singing sensation to Boston marathon bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
Read: US to seek death penalty for accused Boston bomber
“I think after everything we’ve been through, I at least deserve the common respect of being told face to face [that you’d quit One Direction],” Maher said, according to the Guardian.
“Just tell me two things Zayn. Which one of the band were you? And where were you during the Boston marathon?” he questioned, igniting the fury of his millions of fans.
But that was not it. At his question the screen split to show images of Zayn and the Boston marathon bomber side by side. If that wasn’t enough, Maher suggested they looked similar.
Outraged, fans set up an online petition calling for the host to apologise for the remarks, which they believe to be racist, and for using an “Islamophobic terrorist joke”.
“Racism should not become normalised especially on NATIONAL TELEVISION,” the petition reads.
The singer announced on the band’s Facebook page last week he was quitting One Direction because he wanted to live a normal life and apologised to fans of the hugely popular British-Irish boy band for doing so.
“I’d like to apologise to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight,” Malik said in a statement on One Direction’s Facebook page.
Read: Zayn Malik quits 'One Direction', says wants normal life
The decision came days after he left the band’s tour in the middle and was forced to assure fans he had not cheated on his fiancé Perrie Edwards of Little Mix, having been spotted getting close with ‘Essex girl’ Lauren Richardson while on a night out in Phuket, Thailand.
Read: Pakistani-British sensation Zayn Malik embroiled in ‘cheating’ controversy
Fans took to social networking site Twitter to show their support for the singer using the hashtag #RespectForZayn. Lashing out at the comedian, the fans also extended support for Muslims worldwide.
Here are some of the tweets from disappointed fans:
this is so stupid & disrespectful @billmaher #RespectForZayn pic.twitter.com/IVW2gDG8Ck
— PILLOWTALK (@FUUCKMEZEN) April 5, 2015
https://twitter.com/xadorablewordsx/status/584590745123725313
terrorist jokes aren't funny and being a muslim doesn't make you a terrorist #RespectForZayn
— ez 🥀 (@pinkfloydharold) April 5, 2015
https://twitter.com/oopshisquad/status/584532511423762432
https://twitter.com/NiallsBrother/status/584649603078873088
https://twitter.com/1DsUniverse/status/584588463384752129
https://twitter.com/A_R_Siddiqui/status/584544075606585346
https://twitter.com/niallsftmgc/status/584564666086457346
https://twitter.com/xadorablewordsx/status/584590745123725313
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