A poppy stall at a busy supermarket had to be moved after complaints from hardline republicans.
Unionists said the incident had been “shameful” and “disgraceful”.
The poppies were being sold by the Royal British Legion (RBL) at the Tesco store in Newry ahead of Remembrance Day on November 11.
However, republican group Saoradh criticised the presence of the stall near the supermarket’s entrance.
The group called the poppy a “blood-stained symbol” that shows support for “serving members of the British war machine”.
It warned: “They should immediately remove such offensive displays, otherwise local republicans may have no choice but to seek to take action to ensure they are removed.”
Saoradh posted a photograph of the stall alongside the rambling statement on its social media pages.
The stall has been moved away from the entrance.
DUP MLA Diane Forsythe said the intimidation of poppy sellers was “disgraceful”.
Meanwhile, DUP councillor Gareth Wilson called the complaints “shameful”.
“I have spoken with one of the RBL poppy stall co-ordinators in Newry and relayed both my support for the stall holders who are rightly continuing to collect in the store and also shared the concerns of many people who are disgusted by the online activity of this despicable republican group,” he said.
“This type of intimidating behaviour is deeply disgraceful and concerning and I know that the PSNI has been fully informed of the reported incidences.
“The Royal British Legion poppy sellers do a tremendous job each and every year and enjoy the support of thousands of people.
“In this particular case it is absolutely vital that Tesco, a large company in the United Kingdom, continues to ensure free and open access for the RBL in their Newry store given this very worthwhile and important cause.”
Unionist councillor David Taylor said the poppy appeal stand has been located in the store for several years and always receives strong support from people across the community.
“Saoradh’s statement on the presence of the poppy stall in the Tesco store and the outlined threat to take action to remove it was extremely sinister in nature and something I have spoken to police directly about,” he said.
“Their remarks and threats would be condemned by any right-minded person.
“The poppy stall is manned by volunteers each year who give up their own free time to support the Royal British Legion’s appeal to raise funds for veterans, service personnel and their families.
"I welcome the fact that Tesco has not bowed to any threats or pressure from republicans and that the stall remains in a very prominent position within the store.”
A Tesco spokesperson said the supermarket, on the Downshire Road, “is one of many Tesco stores across the UK currently hosting poppy sellers, and its poppy stall is visible and accessible to all shoppers wishing to donate”.
by IPlayFifaOnSemiPro
27 comments
Republican “group” Saoradh can fuck right off
I don’t wear a poppy but let people do what they will. Fuck off Saoradh
It’s an annual tradition 😂
Quite frankly I find it disgusting that people would try to make others feel guilty for selling/wearing poppies. Remembrance Day is important for so many of us. My great grandad died in the war and I’ll wear a poppy to honour him, as I do every year.
Fuck Saoradh.
I mean, i wouldn’t expect a group selling Easter Lilies on the Shankill to be treated as anything other than deliberately provocative.
Im no fan of Saorodh but selling poppies in Newry the week after the brits got a Bloody Sunday murderer off the hook seems like two fingers in people’s faces
Talk about stooping to the DUPs level. If you don’t agree with them walk straight on, get your fucking groceries and get on with your day. Life’s too short for this shite.
People are allowed to sell poppies, other people are allowed to complain about the selling of said poppies. This is an annual tradition in Northern Ireland, soon public figures who don’t wear poppies will be being intimidated for not wearing them and be forced to justify why they don’t.
People wear or don’t wear them for a variety of reasons including family history, personal politics, general “rememberance”, posturing etc. I personally have never worn one but I make no judgement either way if someone does or does not. I don’t think it’s something that should be be banned, in fact I don’t think there should be any judgement about it either way. It’s something that we have managed to politicise here way out of the bounds of common sense.
Saoradh are dissident, irrelevant scum with no support who want to drag people back to the bad old days and who got an innocent journalist killed.
The poppy celebrates all British soldiers from every war, including those who committed atrocities in the name of empire across places like Africa, Asia, Ireland and the Middle East. It has also been used by Loyalist paramilitaries to celebrate their members who systematically colluded with British Soldiers.
Fuck Saoradh and fuck the poppy.
Edit: people are free to wear the poppy for whatever reason they want, my issue is that it’s no longer some symbol to commemorate the horrors of war, and remember those who fought in a just conflict like WWII.
The poppy has since become a symbol of all British soldiers in all wars, that unavoidably includes soldiers who have brutalised native populations and stole resources in the days of empire, those who have committed war crimes and in the NI context, those who have colluded with the UDA/UVF to kill innocent civilians with impunity to maintain an undemocratic, sectarian state.
“Blood stained symbol” bit fucking rich coming from Saoradh. Fucking clowns
Ah yes, Saoradh, advocates of a United Ireland in which those from the British tradition on this island will have their beliefs respected …
Those Irish republicans up to no good as usual.
Like fucking clockwork.
Look at them loyalists….oh wait…
The poppy is not about celebrating Britain. It’s about remembering British and Irish soldiers who fought to keep us free from tyranny.
To me it’s also about remembering about the futility of war and the human cost of it for so little really. The danger is that eventually politicians will forget about how bad wars are and history repeats itself.
The beauty of our democratic country is that we don’t to agree with everything we see and people don’t have to agree with you. Take the blessing of that and don’t threaten people, kids!
Shame they cant grasp the Poppy commerotates all the dead including the Irish that fought. Weird their against remembering their fallen heroes.
They should sell them, so we can spot all protestants in our areas
Edit:
Sense of humour required
I wish more people here had the attitude that the poppy is a symbol of class solidarity. I don’t wear one and I never will, but every English person I’ve ever spoken to about it sees the poppy as more of a symbol of working class remembrance. Most of the men who were carted off and slaughtered during both world wars were working class, including the Irish men who signed up of their own volition.
Many Irish people served in WW1 and WW2. The poppy represents their bravery and sacrifice as much as any other serviceman and servicewoman.
I absolutely love the complete bullshit show that goes on every November. The pointing out of the heroes.
Yet a load of them are left to rot on British streets .
Young men and woman from poor areas used as cannon fodder in wars that shouldn’t have been. Pure elite taking the piss out of the working class.
If you want to wear one then go ahead, if you don’t then that’s ok too. Who gives a shit.
I this the same Tesco that allowed a Loyalist to sell UDR paraphernalia in the Lurgan store?
Shouldn’t be threatening anyone but it was dumb of Tesco to allow this nonsense in Newry.
The poppy is a symbol of remembrance. I wear it. I wear it to remember all lives lost in conflict. The soldiers, sailors or airmen of any government, the poor civilians caught up in it, the needless waste of humanity. The poppy for me is apolitical, red for the needless bloodshed and black for the hearts of our politicians who take us there.
The RBL provides support to all Operation Banner veterans, including those who armed and supplied the Loyalists with intel to allow their death squads to carry out civilian murders. Including those who murdered civilians in the local area, including the literal children Kevin Heatley and Majella O’Hare who were murdered by the British Army. Including Soldier F…
I don’t think Zimbabweans would allow an organisation which provides help to Rhodesian soldiers to sell bigoted colonial symbols in their local supermarket…. why is this any different?
150,000 people have died in Sudan in 2 years of civil war.
Over 2,000 have been brutally killed in the past 48 hours – 460 of which were in a *maternity hospital*.
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#SAVESUDAN
Selling poppies in Newry is a bit stupid tho
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