Did i hear right ?

[clubhappy]

Saw an article last night saying England fans have been told by british police that they can wear their England jerseys during matches, but must remove England flags from their windows, cars, work places and bars as it may cause offence to non English nationals ?

If this is true then there is something seriously wrong .

[moi]

The trouble is, Ian, that for some time now unfortunately the English flag ( red cross on white background) has come to be identified with the BNP, and is therefore seen in some quarters as a racist symbol. This is absurd since it is no more racist than the St Andrews cross of the Scottish flag.

My own view is that by refusing to let the flag be used, they are in fact relinquishing the right to it, and giving it to the BNP by default.

[Mod]

That's nonsense mate, not sure where you heard that. There will be flags everywhere, every shop is cashing in on it in the run up. Not sure why people start these rumours, it just gets people mad.

[BLUENUT]

That's nonsense mate, not sure where you heard that. There will be flags everywhere, every shop is cashing in on it in the run up. Not sure why people start these rumours, it just gets people mad.

Get a St Geroges flag-towel and hang it out to dry - for the duration of ths competition.

One way around the PC brigade!

[Plavi26]

If it's really true, just hang Inters second kit from a couple years back in your window :

But I don't see how they can ban a national symbol like that. I'm pro-immigration and I'm an immigrant myself, but I don't see how a national flag can be insulting to anyone, it would be like telling people in Turkey not to hang their flags because of the crescent on it as it might be insulting to non-Muslim populations.

[Ruh Buh Juh]

I find it very offensive seeing those England flags in cars. I mean, you don't see us Welshies coming into your country with the Welsh flag in our window do you?!

[Hutch]

bring back World Cup Willie!

[dkw]

I find it very offensive seeing those England flags in cars. I mean, you don't see us Welshies coming into your country with the Welsh flag in our window do you?!

And rightly bloody so, bloody leek eaters... :P

[The Moos]

bring back World Cup Willie!

Wow, that is one hairy willie :P

[g3.7]

no one gets offended by flags. no one. it's the usual right wing media attempt to cause societal division on racial and cultural lines. it's heartbreaking that this fear mongering can be so effective. that it can make people fearful of women in headscarves. that it is the people who are most vunerable who always suffer as a result.

the bnp have tried to appropriate the union jack and to a lesser extent the st. george's flag, but the way to combat that is to fight it. once you accept that is what the flags stand for, that's when it becomes the truth.

there is no pc brigade. it's a work of fiction. no one is complaining that flags are offensive or that blackboards are racist. that isn't what political correctness is. in reality all political correctness is is an attempt to make language more tolerant and inclusive. it doesn't always work brilliantly, but we are a million times better off than we would be without it.

[BlueBeard]

it's the usual right wing media attempt to cause societal division on racial and cultural lines

Right-wing media??? I've never known the media to be even slightly right-wing since the mid-80's, you've got to be having a laugh, g4! Then again, you've not been around for a while, you haven't been banged up in a padded cell for the last few weeks have you? :) :D

[loz]

To be fair Steve I can't quite picture the crew of the ship Daily Mail sitting around and plotting the rebirth of communism!

My guess is G4 was referring to those sections of the media which are right wing rather than the media at large.

[BlueBeard]

To be fair Steve I can't quite picture the crew of the ship Daily Mail sitting around and plotting the rebirth of communism!

My guess is G4 was referring to those sections of the media which are right wing rather than the media at large.

Naaah, the media are all commies and f*ckin' pinko's, hate the lot of 'em! :)

[Barry Bridges]

LoL

but what about flags in: schools, goverment buildings etc etc?

I love it when we restrict/punish 95% of the population to suit the whims (and not rights or needs) of a vocal whinney 1-2% (if even).

Can we ban double decker buses? I confuse them for fire trucks and that could have drastic consequences! hahahahha

Edited May 18, 2010 by Barry Bridges

[loz]

Can we ban double decker buses? I confuse them for fire trucks and that could have drastic consequences! hahahahha

Especially if they crash into a ball bearing factory... (a story for another day perhaps)

[g3.7]

yeah of course I meant the right wing sections of the media.

also I don't know what fox news or the daily mail are if not right wing news outlets.

Edited May 18, 2010 by gullit4

[Eggy McMuffin]

I've heard a couple of people go on about it and I've asked them all the same question.

"Where did you hear about it?" The response both times has been the reputable news source which is 'Facebook'. They didn't understand my point, but f**k it.

[mad_mac]

Didn't someone say that something similar had happened to them when they were pulled over by the Old Bil who then told them to take the Union Jack out of the back of their car, as it was Racist!?

f**k OFF!

And Fox News are most certainly a Right Wing outlet

[BlueBeard]

There was a story on BBC5Live Radio yesterday, about a local council (can't remember which one) taking down a stream of St.George flags from across a street, on the grounds of health and safety. 5Live interviewed the little old lady who'd put them up, and she was naturally upset, saying she'd put the flags up for the last few World Cups and didn't understand. The council didn't inform her they were taking them down, and later said that the way the flags were strung up was dangerous. I don't see how, unless she'd tied them up to the mains! Typical local council, w*nkers the lot of 'em! I'm wondering if this is where the 'racist' story originated, it's not difficult to imagine some sleazy scumbag hack changing the details in order to get a 'good story'. It's also pretty easy to imagine the said council taking the flags down on what they consider 'racist' grounds, but then saying it was health and safety to avoid controversy.

I can't remember the last time I read a newspaper, so I'm not up to date on their political agendas, but in the 80's the Mail was just one of a few right-wing papers - now it appears there's just one? As for Fox News, isn't that an American network?

[Mod]

She won in the end BB.

A council leader is to say sorry to a pensioner after England flags she strung across a street were cut down.

Doreen Carnelley, 74, said she had put the full-sized flags across Sturgeon Avenue, Nottingham, to mark the World Cup.

The city council cut the rope and left the flags on her hedge. Officers said it was illegal to attach items to street lights and complaints were made.

Now council leader Jon Collins has said it was an "error of judgement".

'Complete nonsense'

Mrs Carnelley said she was shocked to find the flags "chucked on my hedge" and wanted to put them back up.

At the time, the council said the flags were a health and safety hazard and could be dangerous to motorists.

But now Mr Collins has said they will be put back up and promised to visit Mrs Carnelley to apologise in person later.

He said: "This is a complete nonsense.

"The guys are going to go back and put the flags back up.

"It's an error in judgement and we want to put it right."

Mrs Carnelley claimed she had flown the flags across Nottingham during the last six World Cups and European football finals.

[ivorycoast]

God what has happened to England!

[Mod]

Well that depends on what you believe in the media.

[HisDogSpot]

Absolutely Ridiculous. Were not allowed to be patriotic in OUR own country because it might offend people who decided to come over here. I read today as well that a terrorist got found out and din't get sent home cause of his human rights. So were meant to be in danger because of one terrorist. So were not allowed to love our country, soon we wont be allowed to wear Club tops and it will have to be cricket.

JOKE!

[g3.7]

the mail and fox were just examples, not that they are the only two.

we have fox news here too I think, but I put them in mainly because like the mail they love a good bit of scaremongering.

in any case I think my general point is that this type of "journalism" is pretty shameful.

and it makes me think I could write professionally if I used capital letters and avoided started sentences with the word "and".

[clubhappy]

If nobody is allowed fly flags then the Queen will have to take her flag down too , wont she ? :D

Ridicilous , but it dosent surprise me , my mate lives in Leeds and in 2006 he was ordered to remove a St George cross flag from his car window , his job were informed that under no circumstances would the authorities allow any English flags be flown within the work place as it may cause offence to any ethnic groups.

MAD .