JoeyB Posted 20 March 2009 Posted 20 March 2009 Arsenal stewards have won few friends in one corner of Lancashire this week, after a group of Blackburn Rovers fans revealed that their flag of St George, England's national flag displayed prominently all over the nation and a source of much pride to many English people, was confiscated as being a 'racist symbol'.A group of Rovers fans from the Havelock Inn pub in Blackburn had already unfurled the flag, emblazoned with the slogan 'Havelock Blues', at Fulham and Hull City without problems, and the St George's cross is seen at almost every football stadium in England at every level of the footballing pyramid on any given weekend.Manchester City fans displayed several last night during their tie with AaB Aalborg in Denmark, and representatives from Chelsea and Manchester United today confirmed to reporters from The Lancashire Evening Telegraph that they have no issue at all with any national flags being displayed at their stadia.The Rovers fans themselves were left bemused and bewildered by the actions of the stewards."When we got there we started putting it out, and the steward came up and told us we couldn't.," one fan, David Iley told The Evening Telegraph."It never entered my head at first that the St George Cross wasn't allowed. I thought it was just that we couldn't put it there," he continued."So we hooked it over the hoardings at the front instead, and the next thing we know a steward was taking it away, saying it could be seen as a racist symbol."I couldn't believe it. When we took it to Hull the stewards even helped us put it up. It's the national flag and it's absolutely stupid that Arsenal should ban it."An Arsenal spokesman explained that the measure dated back to 2006, when a Turkish-Cypriot season ticket holder enraged Greek Cypriots when he displayed a political banner at the Gunners' stadium in December of that year.Dan Tolhurst, communications manager at Arsenal, said, "Arsenal as a club prides itself on being inclusive with respect to all nationalities, cultural and ethnic groups. We have therefore decided that in order for all of our fans to enjoy their experience at Emirates Stadium, we are asking that only flags without any national emblems are displayed within the stadium."He also confirmed that the ban is lifted for international matches at the ground.John Newsham, stadium safety manager at Blackburn Rovers, confirmed the Ewood Park outfit held a different perspective to that of their counterparts in London, stating, "We would never comment on the policy of other clubs in relation to flags."We have an open approach, providing the flags meet set criteria. For example, flags are vetted for any inappropriate wording which may be considered offensive by the club or any spectators and they must not be draped over emergency exit signs or advertising hoardings." What an actual joke!
Kilworthfox Posted 20 March 2009 Posted 20 March 2009 Bastards! It is our national flag! Well sort of! The Turkish flag or Greek or Cypriot flag may not be appropriate, however in ENgland you should be able to fly the St George with pride There is a bloke in the south stand who brings an irish tricolour to every match, it is not my cup of tea at all! However he can support us as he likes as long as it is respectful of others. Some inhabitants of these isles need to realise that this is a tollerant socienty, & Arsenal stewards need to realise the difference between our national flag & a foreign flag. Arsenal Football Club - what a joke! Everything that is wrong with modern football, I hope they rot
Mort Posted 20 March 2009 Posted 20 March 2009 If true it’s a daft decision, totally counter productive... Flying the flag isn’t exactly my kind of capper, but damn it! It’s the national flag and folks should be free to fly it whenever and wherever they like and have some pride in their country. It’s when idiots start trying to ban flag flying or other ways of expressing national identity that you hand those symbols over to extremists like the BNP and deny them everyone else.
lavrentis Posted 20 March 2009 Posted 20 March 2009 This is ridicoulos. It's the national flag for god sake. Maybe they ought to have brought with them a french flag.
Corky Posted 20 March 2009 Posted 20 March 2009 How ****ing ridiculous. If the flag had a racist message on it then fair enough, but all it said was "Havelock Blues". Joke.
Sparky Posted 20 March 2009 Posted 20 March 2009 Bastards!It is our national flag! Well sort of! The Turkish flag or Greek or Cypriot flag may not be appropriate, however in ENgland you should be able to fly the St George with pride There is a bloke in the south stand who brings an irish tricolour to every match, it is not my cup of tea at all! However he can support us as he likes as long as it is respectful of others. Some inhabitants of these isles need to realise that this is a tollerant socienty, & Arsenal stewards need to realise the difference between our national flag & a foreign flag. Arsenal Football Club - what a joke! Everything that is wrong with modern football, I hope they rot The guy who wears the shorts whatever the weather
Corky Posted 20 March 2009 Posted 20 March 2009 The guy who wears the shorts whatever the weather Yeah, wears the lime green keeper shirt with "Logan" on the back.
lavrentis Posted 20 March 2009 Posted 20 March 2009 The guy who wears the shorts whatever the weather Amazing how he never freezes.
Ultra Posted 20 March 2009 Posted 20 March 2009 I suppose some gooners might see it as a dig at their club and the token English players in their squad. But the ban is way OTT and won't win Arsenal too many fans..
Lovejoy Posted 21 March 2009 Posted 21 March 2009 How ****ing ridiculous. If the flag had a racist message on it then fair enough, but all it said was "Havelock Blues".Joke. Maybe the Havelock Reds didn't approve ?
Tubes Posted 21 March 2009 Posted 21 March 2009 I hope nearly every away fan turns up with an England flag now, and like they said on 5live having it facepainted on aswell.
Thracian Posted 21 March 2009 Posted 21 March 2009 So presumably they also ban turbans, the hijab, and even the Fez! You do wonder why our normally intrusive government sit back and let this happen to our national identity. It's by no means the only instance as was highlighted only yesterday when newspapers reported how a "brilliant" head teacher was branded a racist at a mainly Muslim school in Woking, Surrey. Oh yes, she won £407,781 damages against Surrey County Council yesterday for their (unexplained) failure to support her. But she's still no longer head and in fact can't ever teach again, the court was told. http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/025308.php And before anyone yells "Daily Mail" the story was reported widely in the press. I can well understand too that a school "with 85% muslim pupils and 90% of pupils having English as their second language" might wish to take their own direction but my point is when will this government and its county councils start protecting the jobs and the welfare of ethnically English people - and the English way of life - instead of forever appearing to protect everyone but the Engllish.
Bert Posted 21 March 2009 Posted 21 March 2009 Typical Arsenal. Why do they play in the English League? Another reason to not support them in Europe.
StanSP Posted 21 March 2009 Posted 21 March 2009 What about when Arsenal take National flags to away games?? Double standards maybe?
Bert Posted 21 March 2009 Posted 21 March 2009 What about when Arsenal take National flags to away games?? Double standards maybe? They have to take French flags though.
Fosse Boy Posted 21 March 2009 Posted 21 March 2009 What about when Arsenal take National flags to away games?? Double standards maybe? But to be fair, that's not something that the club has any control over. What their own fans do in their stadium though, is a different matter. I generally prefer clubs to have their own unique banners/flags anyway a la Liverpool/Man U, but for fans not to be able to wave the national flag with their club's name on it is a sad state of affairs indeed.
purpleronnie Posted 21 March 2009 Posted 21 March 2009 St georges flags are dull anyway, should make your own in club colours, wouldnt have a problem then.
Uncle Albert Posted 21 March 2009 Posted 21 March 2009 I wonder who actually makes these decisions? Some very sad person who has nothing to do by the sounds of it. Arsenal can suckout now they have gone too far with this one, banning the St George's Cross?! Wankers.
StanSP Posted 21 March 2009 Posted 21 March 2009 I think I know what I'm taking with me if ever I go to a match at the Emirates. You know...just to piss Arsenal off I think I know what I'm taking with me if ever I go to a match at the Emirates. You know...just to piss Arsenal off
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