GOTA CRUSH ON YOU
This is a great story lifted from the Press & Journal: "A Scot has reported a "blatantly racist incident" after hearing God Save the Queen on television. Graham Connelly contacted the Commission for Racial Equality about the anthem played on the BBC before a rugby match at the weekend. It follows a Press and Journal report last month that Perth-shire public relations executive Mark Hirst promised to make a complaint of this type the next time he heard the song played. Unemployed Mr Connelly, 37, of Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, who said he was not a member of any political party, decided to take action after reading about Mr Hirst's intentions in the P &J. He shares the PR man's concern about the rarely-sung verse that includes the line: "Rebellious Scots to crush". Mr Connelly made the complaint after tuning into the BBC's coverage of the rugby match between the Barbarians and New Zealand on Saturday, before which God Save the Queen was played. He said: "In 2004, the playing of a tune where the words are openly and blatantly racist is something I find unacceptable and offensive." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The offending verse: Lord grant that Marshal Wade May by thy mighty aid Victory bring. May he sedition hush, And like a torrent rush, Rebellious Scots to crush. God save the King/Queen! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And the reponse from the CRE: Dear Mr Conelly, thank you for your email. The kind of incident you report might potentially be covered by the Public Order Act, under incitment to racial hatred, and needs to be dealt with by the police as this is a criminal matter. The CRE's remit is the Race Relations Act, which covers the civil side of the law, and deals with race discrimination in employment, education, the provision of goods and services etc etc, and we are therefore unable to deal with your complaint. If you wish to take this matter further, I would suggest you report this to the police as a public order offence. The decision as to whether a matter complained about constitutes incitement to racial hatred is entirely decided upon by the police, procurator fiscal and/or courts. Kind regards. Uschi Stickroth Directorate Support Manager CRE Scotland Commission for Racial Equality The Tun 12 Jackson's Entry Off Holyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJ Tel: 0131 524 2000 Fax: 0131 524 2001 Text phone: 0131 524 2018 www.cre.gov.uk
