An Englishwoman who organised a St George's Day celebration at her pub that involved a game where people had to fire arrows at a dragon has been branded racist by the irritating politically correct brigade.
Legend has it that St George, England's patron saint, slayed a dragon. As she couldn't find any other dragon to use as a target, she decided to use the red dragon on the flag of Wales.
But the PC brigade didn't like this, even though several Taffs themselves played the game of shooting arrows at the dragon.
This is not the first time that the Welsh have complained about the "anti-Welshness" of the English. An English gameshow host was blasted a few years ago for saying "What are the Welsh FOR?" and even Prime Minister Tony Blair (obviously also PM of Wales) was reported as shouting "f*cking Welsh" at a television screen after Labour's poor showing at the 1999 Welsh Assembly election.
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Landlady quizzed by police over dragon target
By LUKE SALKELD, Daily Mail
6th June 2006
Mrs Sayer with the offending flag
When landlady Angie Sayer organised a St George's Day celebration at her pub, she thought it would be a patriotic day of fun for all.
But her decision to use the dragon on a Welsh flag to illustrate the patron saint's famous foe has been frowned upon - by the police.
And now Mrs Sayer fears she could be taken to court for using the image during a 'slay the dragon' competition, in which pub-goers fired home-made arrows at the red beast.
Was this prejudice or just harmless fun? Have your say on reader comments below.
Yesterday the 50-year-old told how detectives interrogated her for two hours after they were told the game constituted a 'hate crime' against the Welsh.
But Mrs Sayer insisted the event had been enjoyed by English and Welsh customers alike, and described police involvement as 'political correctness gone mad'.
Speaking from the New Inn in Wedmore, Somerset, where the competition took place, the mother-of-one said: "It's complete lunacy to even suggest that I'm a racist because of this.
"We searched high and low for a dragon to use as the target, but the only one I could find was on a Welsh flag.
"We shot at the dragon, just like St George did, and everyone had a great time.
"But I've been treated like a criminal by police who I think should be out catching rapists, muggers and burglars.
"Now I'm scared I could be taken to court over this - it's just unbelievable." Mrs Sayer attracted the attention of the police after she folded away the corners of a 5ft by 3ft flag and pinned it to a target in the pub's beer garden on April 23 this year.
Around 40 people, including Welsh locals, then used home-made bows and arrows to emulate St George in the early-day Crusades.
They each paid £1 for three shots at the dragon, with the winner being the archer who hit the target most successfully.
Mrs Sayer recalled: "The event was designed as a bit of fun on St Georges Day.
"He was renowned for slaying a dragon, so I thought we could all do the same.
"People came dressed as knights from the Christian Crusades, and the kids loved shooting their little bows and arrows at the target. It was just a lovely day for everyone." Angie, who is divorced, added: "It was never designed to hurt anyone, or cause any kind of upset. It was supposed to be a bit of a giggle, but it's turned into a nightmare.
"Someone's obviously upset that we used a Welsh flag, but there were a few Welsh people there on the day who didn't object. People are too afraid to blink nowadays in case we offend someone."
Quizzed by police
After Mrs Sayer was quizzed by police, who told her she was being investigated for inciting racial hatred, she was warned her that the investigations would continue.
Mrs Sayer's case is the latest in a series of investigations by police into alleged hate crimes against the Welsh.
Earlier this year it emerged that North Wales Police were investigating the BBC after a contestant on The Weakest Link was voted off 'for being Welsh'.
The same force spent almost £4,000 investigating presenter Anne Robinson's description of the nation as "irritating and annoying" on another TV show. She was never charged.
North Wales Police also looked into claims that Tony Blair shouted '******* Welsh' at a television screen after Labour's poor showing at the 1999 Welsh Assembly election.
Yesterday a spokesman for Avon and Somerset police confirmed that officers had been sent to interview Mrs Sayer.
He said: "We were made aware of an alleged hate crime and we attended the property where she was in correspondence with police officers.
But, he added, investigations were likely to cease unless someone registered a formal complaint.
dailymail.co.uk
Legend has it that St George, England's patron saint, slayed a dragon. As she couldn't find any other dragon to use as a target, she decided to use the red dragon on the flag of Wales.
But the PC brigade didn't like this, even though several Taffs themselves played the game of shooting arrows at the dragon.
This is not the first time that the Welsh have complained about the "anti-Welshness" of the English. An English gameshow host was blasted a few years ago for saying "What are the Welsh FOR?" and even Prime Minister Tony Blair (obviously also PM of Wales) was reported as shouting "f*cking Welsh" at a television screen after Labour's poor showing at the 1999 Welsh Assembly election.
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Landlady quizzed by police over dragon target
By LUKE SALKELD, Daily Mail
6th June 2006
Mrs Sayer with the offending flag
When landlady Angie Sayer organised a St George's Day celebration at her pub, she thought it would be a patriotic day of fun for all.
But her decision to use the dragon on a Welsh flag to illustrate the patron saint's famous foe has been frowned upon - by the police.
And now Mrs Sayer fears she could be taken to court for using the image during a 'slay the dragon' competition, in which pub-goers fired home-made arrows at the red beast.
Was this prejudice or just harmless fun? Have your say on reader comments below.
Yesterday the 50-year-old told how detectives interrogated her for two hours after they were told the game constituted a 'hate crime' against the Welsh.
But Mrs Sayer insisted the event had been enjoyed by English and Welsh customers alike, and described police involvement as 'political correctness gone mad'.
Speaking from the New Inn in Wedmore, Somerset, where the competition took place, the mother-of-one said: "It's complete lunacy to even suggest that I'm a racist because of this.
"We searched high and low for a dragon to use as the target, but the only one I could find was on a Welsh flag.
"We shot at the dragon, just like St George did, and everyone had a great time.
"But I've been treated like a criminal by police who I think should be out catching rapists, muggers and burglars.
"Now I'm scared I could be taken to court over this - it's just unbelievable." Mrs Sayer attracted the attention of the police after she folded away the corners of a 5ft by 3ft flag and pinned it to a target in the pub's beer garden on April 23 this year.
Around 40 people, including Welsh locals, then used home-made bows and arrows to emulate St George in the early-day Crusades.
They each paid £1 for three shots at the dragon, with the winner being the archer who hit the target most successfully.
Mrs Sayer recalled: "The event was designed as a bit of fun on St Georges Day.
"He was renowned for slaying a dragon, so I thought we could all do the same.
"People came dressed as knights from the Christian Crusades, and the kids loved shooting their little bows and arrows at the target. It was just a lovely day for everyone." Angie, who is divorced, added: "It was never designed to hurt anyone, or cause any kind of upset. It was supposed to be a bit of a giggle, but it's turned into a nightmare.
"Someone's obviously upset that we used a Welsh flag, but there were a few Welsh people there on the day who didn't object. People are too afraid to blink nowadays in case we offend someone."
Quizzed by police
After Mrs Sayer was quizzed by police, who told her she was being investigated for inciting racial hatred, she was warned her that the investigations would continue.
Mrs Sayer's case is the latest in a series of investigations by police into alleged hate crimes against the Welsh.
Earlier this year it emerged that North Wales Police were investigating the BBC after a contestant on The Weakest Link was voted off 'for being Welsh'.
The same force spent almost £4,000 investigating presenter Anne Robinson's description of the nation as "irritating and annoying" on another TV show. She was never charged.
North Wales Police also looked into claims that Tony Blair shouted '******* Welsh' at a television screen after Labour's poor showing at the 1999 Welsh Assembly election.
Yesterday a spokesman for Avon and Somerset police confirmed that officers had been sent to interview Mrs Sayer.
He said: "We were made aware of an alleged hate crime and we attended the property where she was in correspondence with police officers.
But, he added, investigations were likely to cease unless someone registered a formal complaint.
dailymail.co.uk
