Co-op refuses to serve soldier after return from Afghanistan - because he was still in uniform

Daily Mail ^ | August 6, 2010

[happygrl]

A hero soldier who had just arrived home from a tour of Afghanistan was refused service at a supermarket after being told they didn't serve people in army uniform. Sapper Anthony Walls, of the 21 Engineer Regiment, popped into the Co-op in Croydon for some beers after a gruelling 34-hour journey from Kandahar.

The 27-year-old, said it was his 'first hour back in the real world' after dodging Taliban bullets for the past four-and-a-half months helping build 'the most dangerous road in Afghanistan'.

But when he arrived at the till to pay he was met with a blank stare from the cashier, who refused to serve him and called for her manager.

When the manager turned up he told him he Couldn't do anything about it.

A spokesperson for The Co-operative said: 'This was a genuine mistake on the part of our two members of staff, and has nothing to do with anyone’s ethnicity, religion or personal views. We have apologised to the soldier in question and hope to welcome him back to the store.

[JRandomFreeper]

That's actually sort of dangerous. When my SIL got back from his 2nd Iraq tour, he was a bit.... twitchy. Besides having respect for his service, it just seemed prudent not to piss him off.

And pissing off a sapper can have explosive consequences.

/johnny

[MozarkDawg]

But when he arrived at the till to pay he was met with a blank stare from the cashier, who refused to serve him and called for her manager.

Was that refusal intoned as "We don't serve your kind here?"

What a disgrace.

[PA Engineer]

Here is picture of the "mosque".

[SuziQ]

If this happened in the US, there would be howls of indignation toward that restaurant, not to mention a serious boycott.

[happygrl]

thanks;-)

[SuziQ]

Kipling shows us that “t’was ever thus”.

[DManA]

Soldiers should always carry camera phones and challenge anyone who accosts them to say it into the lens.

[vaudine]

Kipling shows contempt for soldiers has been around a long time.

vaudine

[Sunshine Sister]

If I had been that soldier, I would have been tempted to take my uniform off right there and then asked them, “will you serve me now?”

[Niuhuru]

You should take a look at the responses and the number of green arrows that accompany them. I am sure there will be boycotts over there and I personally think that if it did happen over here, the MSM would have been cheering the shopkeeper on.

[loungitude]

What do you suppose the ethnicity/religion of the clerk was?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I’ll go with ‘gay’.

[The Comedian]

Sometimes, you find a retail establishment with such poor service that you can't just take your business elsewhere, but in fact have no other viable option than to club the little commie/Muslim/hippie sh*t behind the counter to death with a crowbar.

Or is it just me?

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[petro45acp]

Thanks for the Kipling!

Warrior poetry!

Cheers!

[SuziQ]

And pissing off a sapper can have explosive consequences.

*snicker*

[beelzepug]

One of mine, as well. Thanks for posting it.

[ANGGAPO]

Back in 1945 when I was on my way home, by troop train, from California. We stopped in a small Midwestern town to change engines. While we waited, we wandered into town to find a grocery store and purchase some American food. When a Marine found that he was being overcharged for a quart of milk, the fight started. The place was left in a shambles, we got back on the train for home.

[marmar]

I love Marines..........Martha

[happygrl]

Now that’s an original solution!!!!!!

[happygrl]

That’s the Spirit!!!!

[sinsofsolarempirefan]

It was somewhat more justified in Victorian times when soldiers garrisoned in Britain were used as brutal instruments for maintaining order (usually by firing live ammunition into the crowd) when workers went on strike for better pay or to extend the voting franchise...