A black binman from Burnley has been banned from wearing his Cross of St George bandana at work because it might be racist and/or offensive.
Pendle Council told Matthew Carter that they had received complaints and gave him a verbal warning. He was told that he is not allowed to wear any clothing with a Cross of St George on it in case it offends someone. They don’t have a problem, however, with the Skull and Crossbones bandana that he is now wearing to keep his dreadlocks from getting trapped in the machinery on the back of the bin lorry.
I wonder if he’d have got into trouble for wearing a Union Flag bandana. Or a Stars and Stripes bandana. Or how about a Scottish one? The council’s operations manager goes by the name of Ian McInery … I’m sure the Scottish connection is just a coincidence.
I’ve blogged on this, too… Though I am waiting for it to be revealed as a hoax. I mean, seriously. Racist? Offensive? Wow.
I don’t think it’ll transpire to be a hoax, the precedent has already been set. There was the prison a couple of years ago where the staff were given a dressing down for wearing Cross of St George tie pins that they’d bought for charity because Ann Owers (the inspecter of prisons) said it was racist. Then there was a fire station somewhere where the firemen got a bollocking for putting a Cross of St George sticker on their engine – again they were told it was racist.
I think this is odd, but then again, it is white Englishmen (in this case a Scot who is following their custom) who do this. Why are the English complaining when they are the ones banning their own things!!!