Posted on 06/05/2013 12:26:09 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A SHOPKEEPER was threatened with arrest by police after he displayed a T shirt in his shop window with the statement: "Respect out beliefs or get out of our country."
T shirt printer Matthew Taylor created the shirt in the wake of Drummer Lee Rigby's tragic death.
But following a complaint from a member of the public, police came to his store in Newport, South Wales, and threatened to arrest him unless he removed the T shirt from sight.
Matthew said: "I had a visit from two community support officers because it has been reported by someone who felt it was offensive.
"It's not meant to be offensive, and that's not the reason I produced it. It's what I believe.
Mr Taylor said the brutal killing of Drummer Rigby had spurred him into making the T shirt, and admitted the shocking attack had left him upset.
"If you don't like the way a country is run, and don't like our beliefs, then go somewhere else, don't go killing people.
"I don't care if you're Welsh, Scottish, English, go somewhere else if you don't like it."
The shopkeeper claimd the t-shirt had been selling (Pic: Caters)
He said the majority of people had supported the controversial T-shirt's slogan.
"I had one person shout that it was disgusting, but most people have reacted positively to it," he said.
"I think the person who reported me was a bit too sensitive. I don't see it as racist, because it's meant to be a statement about any race.
Having lived in Chepstow close to Beachley barracks for a number of years the armed forces were particularly close to his heart, Mr Taylor said.
Matthew Taylor created the shirt in the wake of Drummer Lee Rigby's death
"I'm offended I have had to take it down. I can't see why I can't share my beliefs," he added.
A spokeswoman for Gwent police confirmed: "We had a call from a member of the public.
"We visited the shop and asked him to remove the t shirt, as it could be seen to be inciting racial hatred."
Newport city councillor, Majid Rahman said: "I believe in freedom of speech and defend his rights to say what he wants, but once it starts offending people then it's a police matter and it's up to them whether they think it's broken any laws."
Welsh affairs select committee, David Davies MP said he understood why Mr Taylor printed the shirt.
New police units formed everywhere; the PC Police
Obviously, the wording on that shirt doesn’t count for muslilmes, but does for him.
Well Brits, do da name Guy Fawkes mean anythin’ to ya?
"Community support officers" that's appropriately Orwellian. The sad thing is we are only a couple federal court rulings away from it happening here.
Oh there are so many things wrong with this statement I don't know where to even begin...
And with that, Ladies and Gentlemen, the last glow faded and the sun set on the British Empire.
Interesting that patriotism is banned but faggotry is protected speech over there. Strange new world.
At some point they will realize that the infidel's mere existence offends at least one group.
Why not keep it up and let me enforce it and have your day in court?
My parents, bless their souls, used to say something like that to me when I was a teenager.
Once you start offending?? Are you kidding me? This is NOT the course of free people.
In this country the left has burned our flag. They have placed the symbol of Christianity in urine and the government never batted and eye. Some guy here made a YouTube video and the government seized him.
We need to through off the chains forged by the fascist Left.
Islamic shopkeeper designs shirts that say:
Will the Islamic shopkeeper be:
Mohammed was a Child Rapist.
Needs saying at each instance of free speech squelching.
They (and we all know who ‘they’ are) can spew hatred at and even kill people in Western countries with impunity. We in turn must kiss their asses with alacrity. I’m sick to bleeding gums death of them, but frankly still think I respect them more than modern Western politicians.
Agreed. This dullard is missing the point entirely!
Oooooo - musn’t piss off the ‘religion of peace” ya know..../s
UK is dead meat, lost, hopeless.
Kiss your bangers good-bye.
USA is only a couple years behind (and catching up fast under its current regime)
That's its own cause of action!
Sometime soon, they (the muzzies, and the idiot government) will push just a bit too far, and the top will blow off and violence will ensue. Then they will claim “Gee, I wonder what set that off/”
I don’t understand why muslims and muslim hate preachers are not arrested for spewing hate and advocating actual violence. Aren’t they violating “Hate speech” laws. Why don’t some undercover Brits go into the mosques and get the hate speech on hidden video, then demand hate laws be enforce because they are offended! They can talk about Jihad and that is perfectly fine. There is nothing racist about this t-shirt. It could apply to anybody.
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