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This is the moment a Tesco shopper calls security on poppy sellers and demands to know who gave them permission to sell ‘badges for murderers’.
Footage shows the irate woman shouting at the pensioner behind the stall, saying it ‘wasn’t acceptable’ to be selling the remembrance material at the Millenium Way store in Lurgan, near Belfast.
She shouts: ‘This is not acceptable! This is not acceptable to the Catholic community in this town.
‘The British Army and the RUC [Royal Ulster Constabulary] murdered a lot of innocent people, and you’re selling for them?
‘No, I’m not accepting this! I don’t accept this. As a member of the Catholic community in this town.
‘Would I be able to sell … IRA badges?
‘This is not only for poppies for the last World War – this is for murderers of innocent people!’
Customers react in anger to the woman, with some telling her to ‘get a life’.
Caption: ‘This is not acceptable!’ Furious Tesco shopper calls security on poppy seller (Picture: Facebook/Loyalist Blackskull0
As the poppy sellers left the store, the woman shouted after them: ‘Murderers! Murderers! RUC murderers! That’s what they are.’
The table also sold remembrance crosses for specific regiments -including the SAS, Ulster Defence Regiment, Police Service of Northern Ireland and RUC.
The RUC was established as a police service in 1922 and played a key role in maintaining British rule in the region.
When a staff member told the woman to leave, she said she would bring a protest outside the store.
She said: ‘This is annoying me as a customer! This is a disgrace.
‘I will set up a protest outside this store! It shouldn’t be in store. There will be a protest.’
She also demanded to know which food from within the store came from Israel.
Doug Beattie, the Ulster Unionist party leader, said the woman showed ‘intolerance’.
Northern Ireland Assembly member Jonathan Buckley said he had reached out the poppy sellers, andsaid they had been victim to ‘disrespect and hostility’.
He said: ‘Last night I reached out to the lady selling Poppies, and I commended her for being so dignified and for her courage in continuing to sell Poppies in the face of such vile bigotry.
‘Sadly this year more than ever, those raising vital funds for the Poppy Appeal have been met with disrespect and hostility.
‘Poppy sellers take time every year to graciously honour the dead and raise crucial funds for veterans, service personnel and their families.’
The PSNI said: ‘Police in Lurgan received a report of a verbal altercation at commercial premises in the Carnegie Street area on Tuesday 7th November.
‘Officers attended and spoke to a number of individuals about the matter, however, no statement of complaint was made and no further action was taken.
‘Police remained in the area and continued to monitor the situation.’
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Shoppers told the woman to ‘get a life’.