For years ethnic minority groups have accused the Police of institutional discrimination – now it’s the turn of the majority to make the same accusation.

Former soldier, Craig Briggs, has wanted to join the Police since he was a child and joined the army to get some experience before applying. After serving 4 and a half years in the army he’s about to leave any day now and has applied to Greater Manchester Police. However, he’s been turned down before even getting an interview because he has the word “England” tattooed on his arm.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said “A family who aren’t of English origin who see England on your arm could feel you might discriminate against them. We live in a diverse society and try to ensure we give everybody equality.”

But not if you’re English though, that would just be too offensive wouldn’t it? If a “family who aren’t of English origin” living in England are offended by the word “England” then they really chose the wrong place to live. This is nothing short of racial discrimination – I very much doubt that people “who aren’t of English origin” would find themselves barred from joining the Police if they had a tattoo bearing the name of their country and the very idea of banning potential recruits from joining the English Police force because they have the name of their country tattooed on their arm is not only deeply offensive but absolutely outrageous. A complaint will be winging its way to the Equality and Human Rights Commission shortly.

Update:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I would like to make a complaint about racial discrimination.

In today’s the Sun newspaper is a story about a soldier who has been refused an interview for Greater Manchester Police because he has the word “England” tattooed on his arm. Apparently this could be considered offensive to people who are not of English origin.

This is outrageous – why should the word “England” tattooed on the arm of an English policeman in England be considered offensive to anybody, regardless of their origin? Would this rule be extended to the same people who are not of English origin if they had the name of their own country tattooed on their arm? I very much doubt this is the case.

To show pride in your country of birth is not something to be ashamed of and this rule – which apparently emanated from the Home Office – is clearly discriminatory towards English people.

Stuart Parr

Technorati Tags: Anglophobia, Discrimination, Police