The campaign involved vans driving through six London boroughs in July carrying posters featuring a close-up image of someone holding a pair of handcuffs and a box stating: ‘In the UK illegally? Go home orface arrest.’ Green text in the style of an official stamp also stated ‘106 arrests last week in your area’. Small print at the bottom of the poster said the arrest figures were from the period June 30 to July 6 and covered Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge, Barnet, Brent, Ealing and Hounslow.
Most of the complainants said the poster, and in particular the phrase ‘go home’, was offensive and distressing because it was reminiscent of slogans used by racist groups to attack immigrants in the past and irresponsible and harmful because it could incite or exacerbate racial hatred and tensions in multicultural communities.
Several complainants also challenged whether the claim ‘106 arrests last week in your area’ was misleading and could be substantiated, while others said the small print was not legible on a moving vehicle.
We agree that illegal immigrants should not be here and that nobody should break the rules to get here, but these tactics are stupid, and them some. Saffas are hardworking and contribute to the UK’s economy. They are not here to seek benefits. But these poster lorries do not only generalise, they also taint our presence in the UK. Get rid of the posters and the idiots that though it a good idea to create them in the first place.
