Jeweller given abuse over mono Union flag
A jeweller has been forced to remove a set of black and white Union Flags from outside his Northampton shop after being sent racially abusive emails.
Steffan Suter, of Steffan's Jewellers in York Road, was labelled a "white hater" by one complainant after putting up the promotional flags as part of a campaign for a new punk-influenced line of jewellery.
But one of the flags was ripped down at the weekend, and several people offended by the monochrome design have gone into the shop to complain that the jewellers had "defaced" the national flag.
Mr Suter said the remaining flags would be taken down as a result of the backlash.
He said: "The first couple of times people came into the shop, we didn't really think much of it. One actually came in asking if the Queen or a member of the Royal Family had died. But then we got an email from someone at the weekend calling me a "white hater" and other offensive terms, and people seemed to be offended that we had defaced the Union Jack.
"When someone climbed up the building and tore one of them down, we decided it would probably be best just to take them down and replace them with red, white and blue flags."
The black and white Union Flags were installed to promote the jeweller's London Calling line, influenced by the 1979 album by The Clash. Mr Suter's son found a supplier on the internet who produced the flags for Newcastle United supporters.
He said: "Because these flags are made for football fans and used regularly at Newcastle United games, we didn't think anything of using them. Getting into racial arguments was the last thing on my mind when I put them up.
"We wanted something a bit more grungy and alternative to go with the punk jewellery and thought they were perfect for it."
The remaining flags outside the York Road shop and another store in Market Harborough were taken down yesterday to be replaced with the traditional Union Flag.
Email to a friend
Print this page- BREAKING NEWS: Tributes paid to Niamh Curry as brave five-year-old loses battle against cancer
- BREAKING NEWS: Pensioner dies after collision at Northampton shopping centre
- Man tied to tree and beaten on Northampton Racecourse
- BREAKING NEWS: Woman’s body found after ‘suicide’ in Northampton hotel room
- BREAKING NEWS: Seven-year-old boy dies following house fire in Northamptonshire
- Northampton binmen at ‘breaking point’
- Staff strike at Northampton school over academy plans forces closure
- Saints’ stadium plans get support as long as traffic issues solved
- Eastern European pupils helping school standards across Northampton
- Exclusive: PM David Cameron says Northamptonshire Police Commissioner role is “a big job for a big local figure”
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northampton
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
