Roberta McNally: Lurgan poppy seller confronted in online video speaks out: ‘I’m overwhelmed by the support’

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/lurgan-poppy-seller-confronted-in-online-video-speaks-out-im-overwhelmed-by-the-support/a147405819.html

A poppy seller who was confronted by a woman at her stall in Tesco has said she was “overwhelmed” by the support she has received since the incident.
The confrontation – captured on video and widely shared on social media – appeared to show an altercation between a woman sitting at a Remembrance poppy appeal stall in the Millennium Way Tesco in Lurgan and another shopper who filmed the incident.

The poppy stall also appeared to be selling other items linked to different specific army regiments, such as the UDR and SAS, as well as the PSNI and RUC.

At one point in the video shared online, the woman filming the incident can be heard saying: “The British Army and RUC murdered a lot of innocent people and you are selling for them. This is for murderers of innocent people, this is not acceptable selling these.

“I am not accepting this. A donation for a poppy, that is no problem – but selling badges for the RUC and British Army, I am not accepting it.”

In an interview with GB News, Roberta McNally – who is a former DUP secretary for the Upper Bann area – said she had to switch her phone off as the messages of support had become overwhelming.

“I was getting very emotional about the support that I’d been given; it totally overwhelmed me,” she told the channel.

“It has done – in a roundabout way – good for the poppy appeal because we are nearly out of stock. People are coming from Belfast, Newtownards, Lisburn, Portadown, all over the Province to support Lurgan poppy appeal.

“Yesterday we collected twice as much as what we would have on a normal day.

“I have been back since and I will be back again because I am very, very passionate about what I do and I’ve always been very passionate about remembrance.”

In a statement a spokesperson for the Royal British Legion said: “We are aware of a video circulating involving one of our volunteers. The safety of our volunteers is our main priority, and we are supporting the individual involved.”

Ms McNally – a former soldier – left the DUP in 2021 following the appointment of Edwin Poots as party leader, accusing some senior DUP representatives of failing to listen to voters.

She had been a supporter of current leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and disagreed with the manner in which former leader Arlene Foster had been ousted.

Ms McNally caused controversy in April 2015 when she referred to Catholics on a social media post as “taigs”, and in another post, referred to Sinn Féin election candidate Cat Seeley as “that tramp Seeley”.

At the time, the DUP said Ms McNally was not a member of the party. However, she had signed the nomination papers of Upper Bann candidate David Simpson and was quoted as a supporter in his election literature.

Ms McNally, who was the Lurgan Royal British Legion chair, also featured in numerous photographs canvassing with DUP politicians.

She later apologised for using the term “taigs”, telling The Lurgan Mail she had “many Catholic friends who I hold in high esteem”.

During her interview with GB News, Ms McNally said a Catholic woman had approached her to “apologise” for the incident.

“I know in Lurgan, the vast majority of people here on both sides of the divide have the utmost respect for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice,” she said.

“What happened in Tesco, she doesn’t act on behalf of ordinary decent people. That was evident this morning when a woman came up to me and said “I’m from the Catholic community and I apologise for what happened, but she wasn’t speaking on my behalf”.

“I know that; there are lost of very decent Catholics out there.”

A number of DUP figures took to social media to defend Ms McNally following the incident.

MLA Jonathan Buckley said he had watched the video, adding: “Last night I reached out to the lady selling poppies, and I commended her for being so dignified and for her courage.

His party colleague Carla Lockhart said: “Poppies are a symbol of remembrance for everyone. No-one should be forced to hide or should ever apologise for its display.

The PSNI said no complaint had been made to them following the incident at the Tesco.

“Police in Lurgan received a report of a verbal altercation at commercial premises in the Carnegie Street area on Tuesday November 7,” said a spokesperson.

“Officers attended and spoke to a number of individuals about the matter, however, no statement of complaint was made and no further action was taken.

“Police remained in the area and continued to monitor the situation.”

Tesco has been contacted for a response.

by LoveLaughLarne