Posted on 10/29/2007 9:31:37 AM PDT by dr.zaeus
They were part of a distinctive window display designed to attract shoppers through the doors of chic high street chain All Saints.
But instead, the eight headless black dummies, which are suspended from silver chains, have caused a storm of protest from race campaigners.
Equality groups claim the mannequins resemble the Ku Klux Klan lynchings which terrorised America's Deep South.
And they were so incensed that they complained to police - who launched a probe and sent officers round to the shop to investigate.
The hanging mannequins are used at the all the chain's 40 stores around Britain but have been picked out by race campaigners after appearing in the window of their newest shop in Princesshay, Exeter.
The Devon-based Rural Racism Project has contacted the shop to ask them to review the display.
John McKenzie, from the Project's monitoring group, said: "I have received a number of calls from people who are offended by the window display.
"Some of them feel it brings to mind the lynching of black people. A number of those who have complained are white.
"The fact that this year marks the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade has heightened awareness of the subject. "My hope is that the shop may be able to change the display in the light of this level of offence."
The Samaritans have also raised concerns about the hanging figures after a complaint from a shopper who had lost a close relative to suicide by hanging.
All Saints assistant manager Tiff Phillips said: "A lot of people have come in to congratulate us on the display.
"There are no heads so there are no grimaces and the mannequins are just hanging there. "The police have been to see us and say we are not breaking any laws and it is the same display as we use in all out stores."
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police said they have investigated and do not believe at this time that any law has been broken.
These “offended” people really need to be purged from society, I’m sick of this crap, GROW UP, GROW A FREAKIN’ SPINE, MOVE ON, life is TOOOOOOOOO short for this kind of nonsense,,,,I wish I had a dime for every idiot that was “offended” I’d never have to work another day in my life!
I’m offended that anyone would be offended by my offense.
I just looked at the photo at the link. The whole thing is absolutely absurd. Ridiculous.
These people are crazy. It’s just your basic trendy-store display. Gads, if it was meant to evoke anything, it was probably a “bondage parlor” (reference to Mark Steyn’s article on this subject a couple of days ago).
ha ha ha Brit nancy boys
OK so fake lynchings are offensive.. BUT fake dead bodies, mutilation, and waterfalls of blood are vogue. I get it now
/s
Merely the offense du jour. Slow news day coupled with the perennially offended.
Yeah, you REALLY have to be looking too far into that to make some sort of lynching connection...it’s just a trendy display.
That said, my take is that if you have to resort to showing hanging mannequins to get people in your store, well maybe the clothes aren’t exactly selling themselves. ;)
How about Green so the commies can complain that it resembles Stalin's purges too much...
"I'm offended" is frequently no longer a complaint, it's a threat to "Do as I say or else". And many times it exercised simply for the sake of throwning your weight around.
I serious doubt the window designer had any subliminal message in mind. Most cases, a cigar is just a cigar.
Isn't this a hate crime against mannequins?
Problem is - they ARE happy about it. We’ve played right into their money-grubbing hands.
Not if you’re Billy Jeff Clintoon ...
I agree it’s absurd. People need to get a grip.
We should be greatful the name of the department store is not ALLSINNERS OR ALLDEMONS....
Yep! I see the beginings of a 24 hour noose channel...
Would this be a “Hate Crime” in the United States”?
I hope that we someday enter an age where the popular trend is to look these people right in their faces and tell them to STFU.
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