Donald Trump Jr upset the public this week when he tweeted a US election campaign ad in support of his father, Republic presidential candidate Donald Trump, that compared Skittles to refugees.
"If I had a bowl of Skittles and told you just three would kill you, would you take a handful," the tweet read.
Avid photographer David Kittos, 48, who says he is a UK citizen, has since claimed he photographed the bowl of Skittles - and that he is a former refugee.
"This was not done with my permission, I don't support his politics and I would never take his money to use it," Mr Kittos told the BBC.
Mr Kittos went on to explain he fled Cyprus at the age of six in 1974 when the nation was invaded by the Turkish army.
"We had to leave everything behind overnight. Our property and our possessions."
He was alerted about the image, which he took six years ago while experimenting with his camera, by his friends.
"I have never put this image up for sale. This was not done with my permission, I don't support Trump's politics and I would never take his money to use it," he told the BBC.
He said while he was unsure he would take legal action, "They could have just bought a cheap image from a micro stock library. This is pure greed from them. I don't think they care about my feelings.
"They should not be stealing an image full stop."
The meme came as world leaders meeting at the United Nations on Monday approved a declaration aimed at providing a more coordinated and humane response to the global refugee crisis in which many fleeing conflict are Syrian.
Wrigley, which owns Skittles, responded to the ad, saying: "Skittles are candy. Refugees are people. We don't feel it is an appropriate analogy".
