‘You ain’t seen me, right!’ High Street Gaddafi dummy cheers shoppers… but police fail to see the funny side and order owner to take it down

More and more evidence of the growing totalitarianism trend in England today. This time, they didn’t even have the flimsy excuse of a complaint.

From The Guardian:

By Rob Cooper

Last updated at 7:07 PM on 5th September 2011

When a party shop owner put a mannequin dressed as Colonel Gaddafi on the run in his doorway, he thought passers-by would see the funny side of it.

But two heavy-handed PCSOs marched into the store – and told staff to take down because it was ‘offensive’.

The mock-Gaddafi – dressed in bright pink tights and clutching a sign which read ‘you ain’t seen me right’ – was meant as a light-hearted prank.

Owner Peter Tooley never dreamed that his store would be accused of stirring up tensions.

'Offensive': Two heavy-handed PCSOs told staff in Party Time in Sheffield that their Colonel Gaddafi mannequin, dressed in pink tights 'could be deemed inappropriate'‘Offensive’: Two heavy-handed PCSOs told staff in Party Time in Sheffield that their Colonel Gaddafi mannequin, dressed in pink tights ‘could be deemed inappropriate’

Staff at the store in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, said today they were surprised by the police over-reaction because no one had complained about the stunt.

Shop assistant Cath Jewitt, 68, said that she took the mannequin down immediately after being ‘advised’ it was inappropriate.

A police spokesman confirmed the PCSOs had acted even though nobody had complained.

 

Mrs Jewitt, who has worked at the store for the last nine years, said: ‘The police came to the counter and said they had reservations about displaying the mannequin and advised us to take it down. We did remove it straight away.

‘It’s about having a joke – maybe there’s someone who didn’t have a sense of humour. It was in the shop doorway with glasses on and wasn’t offensive.

‘For St Patrick’s Day we put outrageous costumes outside and the same for St Andrew’s Day. We had a man dressed in a tartan with frilly knickers on underneath and no one complained.

Hiding dictator: Police acted even though no one had complained about the Colonel Gaddafi mannequinHiding dictator: Police acted even though no one had complained about the Colonel Gaddafi mannequin

‘It’s all a joke really – if we make people laugh they come into the shop so we’re trying to be fun.’

Peter Tooley, who runs Party Time in Eccleshall Road, Sheffield, added: ‘I think it’s very funny, I can’t imagine why anyone would complain about it.’

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said that it was feared some people may think the mannequin is ‘inappropriate’.

‘Two PCSOs, on normal patrol duties called into the shop to ask if they would mind taking the mannequin out of the shop window, as some people may find it inappropriate,’ he said.

‘This advice was given in an attempt to prevent possible community tension on a sensitive issue.’

The mannequin has now been dressed as Where’s Wally.

 

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

7 Replies to “‘You ain’t seen me, right!’ High Street Gaddafi dummy cheers shoppers… but police fail to see the funny side and order owner to take it down”

  1. ‘It’s all a joke really – if we make people laugh they come into the shop so we’re trying to be fun.’

    Didn’t he hear the Ayatollah Komeinei “There is no fun in Islam”?

    Seems there’s no fun in Britainistan either!

  2. If this video had been uploaded from the UK, police would have arrested those responsible for it and summoned a tearful George Galloway as a witness for the prosecution during their trial.

  3. ‘”It’s about having a joke – maybe there’s someone who didn’t have a sense of humour. It was in the shop doorway with glasses on and wasn’t offensive.”‘

    ‘A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said that it was feared some people may think the mannequin is ‘inappropriate’.’

    People need to realise that no-one has a right not to be offended. But aside from this important point, had someone actually been offended by the Gaddafi mannequin, what would that have revealed about them?

    ‘The mannequin has now been dressed as Where’s Wally.’

    What! I shall register my disgust with the police department forthwith.

  4. Blame this action on the PC culture, in that culture the favored minorities are protected from all attacks, even imaginary ones. Once again I am reminded of the book Clockwork Orange and how Britain is rapidly becoming the very nasty nation in the book.

  5. I got thrown off of The Mail, for being politically incorrect, by saying that the Brits are truly f****d up! I cannot believe the type of government that they have put into place, I cannot believe that they let that government disarm them, I canot believe how they coddle muslims and allow them to live on the dole at the expense of true working citizens. I just think Brits are getting all that they deserve! Isn’t “multikulti” wonderful you stupid ignorant Bristish empire morons? Wonder why The Mail has silenced my tounge? The truth hurts! That’s why! You Brits are stupid f*****g pigs!

  6. One should make a distinction between benevolent humour and malevolent humour. Benevolent humour is humour directed at objects or ideas deserving of scorn, ridicule or contempt – that is, objects or ideas that are evil or absurd (and clearly colonel Gaddafi would fall into this category). Malevolent humour, in contradistinction, is humour directed at objects or ideas deserving of respect or reverence – that is, objects or ideas that are objectively good.

    When a government through its police force prohibits ridicule of that which is evil or absurd, it reveals its own evilness and absurdity.

    Tell me what a man laughs at, and you tell me his ethics.