Pensioner accused of racism over poster aimed at politicians

A pensioner who put up a poster to vent his frustration at canvassing politicians found himself accused of racism by police. After being blitzed with election pamphlets Roy Newman, 74, decided to tell other voters: "GET THE LOT OUT." But 90 minutes after he put up the sign up in an upstairs room at his house two police officers arrived and accused him of being racist.

Mr Newman, of North Anston, near Rotherham said: "My sign is up there because the MPs and council leadership we have in place at the moment are a load of rubbish and I want them out, nothing more. The police told me that due to the fact the words were written in red, white and blue my sign had racist connotations. What a load of rubbish. It certainly wasn't my intention to come across as racist."


Photo from here.

He claims he was threatened with arrest after refusing to change the sign or remove it. The police apparently had received one complaint from a neighbour. Mr Newman, a former Samaritan who is chairman of a local history society said: "Three years ago vandals put a brick through my window and when I called the police all they offered me was a crime reference number. Put up a poster and a police car and two uniformed officers arrive as quick as a flash. It's unbelievable." He has now changed the colour of some of the letters on the sign to yellow but has not altered the wording.

A South Yorshire Police spokeswoman said: "Officers responded to a call from a complainant who had seen the sign and interpreted it as being racist. Given this sign was displayed publicly and seemed to be causing offence we did see fit to attend the address. Officer spoke to Mr Newman and were told that his words referred to councillors and MPs. We advised him that the wording could be changed to make that fact more clear. It is unlikely that any further action will be taken."