Is an England flag with QPR written on it offensive ?

[nuffieldranger]

link http://www.shop.qpr.co.uk/keyword/flag

[DouDou_87]

link http://www.shop.qpr.co.uk/keyword/flag

Just ordered one- will put it at the front for the West Ham game. Any stewards ask me to take it down I'll say It's official club merchandise, so it's a bit like asking a fan to take their QPR shirt off.

[DeepcutHoop]

While I think LR full of flags would look awesome, and I'm all for that, have we had an answer from the club yet, that would let us know what we're rebelling against?

Have they explained why the flags were removed?

[DouDou_87]

The only response I have seen so far was from TF on Saturday via Twitter. He said he had no problem with the flags but it might be an FA ruling.

I don't really know who at the club to contact, and to be honest it's utterly ridiculous that I would even have to ask someones permission to put a small flag up in the ground.

Maybe it's just me?

[DeepcutHoop]

The only response I have seen so far was from TF on Saturday via Twitter. He said he had no problem with the flags but it might be an FA ruling.

I don't really know who at the club to contact, and to be honest it's utterly ridiculous that I would even have to ask someones permission to put a small flag up in the ground.

Maybe it's just me?

Absolutely agree, but as there does seem to have been a new steward directive to remove flags, it's worth finding out for sure. Might save some unnecessary confrontations between stewards and fans.

If this is out of the clubs hands, then we can take our complaints to the FA or whoever it may be that has put this in place.

[W12hoops]

I sit on the front row of the S A Road Stand and about 3 times a year,( first game, last game and when we play chelsea ) I tape my QPR England Flag in front of me. On Saturday at about 35 mins , a steward came along and said I had to take my flag down. I said no and just before Half time, two stewards came along and demanded I take it down. I said "on whose authority ?" the said it had been spotted by someone in the CCTV room. I was getting angry at this stage , saying that I have had this flag here when we were in the 3rd tier long before they had jobs here. I then took the flag off the side and showed them it and asked "Is this offensive?" and one of them answered "Yes". For the second half we held it over the side anyway.

Can someone tell me WTF is going on ?

This makes me mad, since when is an england flag offensive? These days patriotism is offensive, even eating kebab is offensive...

[QPR_NW10]

it can't be an FA ruling of "no flags of any description" because the players run out to flags being waved...further - the Kop have two huge ones and OT is dancing in flags drapped over their balconies...as is the emirates I believe. And what about our "friends" at stamford bridge with that lovely one of JT...something like "one leader one captain one racist"

it could be a LR ruling, which i'd fine 1) sad 2) pathetic 3)ridiculous and 4) something we could indeed fight

[DouDou_87]

Anyone know the best person/department to contact at the club?

There is no point contacting the FA, you'd just get a useless corporate robot in a suit sending you a useless response.

[Kit]

I contacted Ian Taylor a few years back on a membership issue I had and he was brilliant, sorted it out for me and sent my Dad something extra in the post due to the inconvenience of having to contact the club.....so you could start with Ian. Sure he is our media guy now as well.

[Magic]

Right, we've established that the Club sell flags with St Georges Cross and Union Jack, so can we stop this kind of mentality...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6aEc9X-Ip4

[DeepcutHoop]

This makes me mad, since when is an england flag offensive? These days patriotism is offensive, even eating kebab is offensive...

OK, this is new.

Unless you're one of these...



or sat next to me on public transport eating one (and that's more rude than offensive), who the hell is offended by kebab-eating?

OK, they'll usually not win any culinary awards, but offensive?

[Kirill]

I am deeply offended by kebab-eating.
Should be prohibited along with peerages.

[W12hoops]

OK, this is new.

Unless you're one of these...



or sat next to me on public transport eating one (and that's more rude than offensive), who the hell is offended by kebab-eating?

OK, they'll usually not win any culinary awards, but offensive?

Ok, maybe took it a bit too far....

[ReadingR]

I've had a bee in my bonnet about this non-issue for the last few years since I was refused entry to one pub and one bar on one St George's Day (!) a few years back. I had a St George's cross draped on my back, apparently I'd have to remove it to gain entry. St Paddy's Day comes along and the Irish flag is no problem.

No one would dare enforce the same policy on someone with any flag other than the English, but we're just far too tolerant of this sort of madness. I just don't get it.

[DeepcutHoop]

It's because we are uncomfortable as a nation with perceived displays of nationalism (understandably given our recent history). Unfortunately there is an association with extreme right-wing groups (although this is more true of the Union Flag). Recent years have seen the EDL used it for their purposes, and again the majority are very uncomfortable with them, especially as they are tightly linked to football hooligans, another set of people that the general public dislike massively.

It tends to be more acceptable when there's a major tournament on and a larger number of the public are displaying it. The Union flag has been everywhere this year and last with no negative connotations at all, because of the sheer number of people displaying.

Pubs are a difficult one, because they tend to get touchy when they've had problems in the past. There was a stink kicked up a while back when a pub denied service to a few soldiers in uniform prior to them going on to a funeral. Now I used to drink in Windsor, and I know that pubs there often blanket barred squaddies, because there was a tendency for them to start fights and other generally expensive problems. This does not mean all squaddies will start problems, it's just that some pubs have decided to err on the side of their profits. If the pub you were denied access to had had problems with football fans, or anyone else with flags (or problems on previous St George's days), then they may have decided that they're better off stopping people with the flag. It seems ridiculous but these places aren't going to lose your custom lightly, they'll be a reason.

St Patricks day is associated with everyone having a jolly old time, and drinking loads wearing silly wigs and requiring a shamrock on the head of their Guiness. St George's day recently has become associated (rightly or wrongly), more with angry Facebook posts about not being allowed to celebrate it, than with people doing anything about it. Vicious circle unfortunately.

The Jubilee and the Olympics seem to have brought back a happier version of national pride, rather than the angry defiant version, and maybe if there is a concentrated effort, next April 23rd could see a more universal celebration.

Of course there is always going to be people who take the very laudable intentions of political correctness and go too far, but these are definitely few and far between. They all seem to get highlighted, understandably but when is 'and they all got along swimmingly' going to be of interest to the news?