Heathrow police banned from wearing union jack badges
09.06.09
Police patrolling Heathrow Airport have been banned from wearing tiny Union Jack badges in support of British troops, the Sun reports. Their superiors say the tie-pin badges - which cost £1 with proceeds going to the Help for Heroes charity - are offensive.
An officer asked the newspaper: ‘How can the Union Jack be offensive? This ruling is even more absurd coming this weekend on the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings. We must be the only country ashamed to display our national flag.’
About 100 officers in the Metropolitan force's SO18 Aviation branch, which patrols Heathrow, bought the inch-square badges. Around 70% of them served in the Forces and many have children fighting in Afghanistan.
Another officer said: ‘We're wearing the badges with pride. Most importantly, they are to show support for our soldiers at war. Nobody has put out orders to remove rainbow symbols that gay and lesbian officers wear. Why discriminate against us?’
A statement from the Met told the newspaper: ‘The dress code states only approved corporate badges may be worn.’
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