Boy's Pirate Flag Banned By English District Council

Anthony Steele loves to play pirates in his backyard, but the black flag aboard his "ship" is stirring up trouble with an English town's district council.

Officials from the East Lindsey District Council urged the 7-year-old's family to take down the flag, citing that it breaches advertising regulations the Lincolnshire reports.

But mother Sara Steele says her son, who has Asperger's syndrome and enjoys playing pirates, doesn't understand why the flag is under fire.

The Sun obtained a copy of the letter sent to Steele and her partner Ronnie Ford-Kennedy. The notice contains the following warning:

"I would inform you that it is an offence, prosecutable in the Magistrates' Court, to display an advert without consent to do so from the Council."

source #1
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This is so sick! How can this be even an issue? So this little kid can't play pirates anymore in his own backyard, or at least not with his pirates flag, (or the so called Jolly Roger) because his parents didn't get it approved???

This kid's illness aside, this is so absurd that kids or anybody else can't use something they BOUGHT! It's like telling me I can't wear a shirt with the Jolly Roger on, although I legally purchased it.


Maybe this supposed to be some kind of an ACTA case..

Garrrrrr! shiver me timbers!
leave the kid alone for god's sake!
this is absurd!!!!!
i guess the brits are still pissed about blackbeard robbing all their ships!!!
ahoy matee,its time to fight!

Sounds about right. We have some odd rules over here!

I think this is the first time I've heard something that ridiculous! Those idiots are taking themselves way to serious

Originally posted by reficul
Garrrrrr! shiver me timbers!
leave the kid alone for god's sake!
this is absurd!!!!!

i guess the brits are still pissed about blackbeard robbing all their ships!!!
ahoy matee,its time to fight!

The brits seemed to be pissed about a lot of things.. I'm just wondering that nobody over there seems to find that odd

reply to post by Hellas


imagine if the law in the u.s. cracked down on the southern 'rebel' flag! there would be mass arrests! gosh here in canada too!!!!

Originally posted by Hellas

Anthony Steele loves to play pirates in his backyard, but the black flag aboard his "ship" is stirring up trouble with an English town's district council.

Officials from the East Lindsey District Council urged the 7-year-old's family to take down the flag, citing that it breaches advertising regulations the Lincolnshire reports.

But mother Sara Steele says her son, who has Asperger's syndrome and enjoys playing pirates, doesn't understand why the flag is under fire.

The Sun obtained a copy of the letter sent to Steele and her partner Ronnie Ford-Kennedy. The notice contains the following warning:

"I would inform you that it is an offence, prosecutable in the Magistrates' Court, to display an advert without consent to do so from the Council."

source #1
source #2

This is so sick! How can this be even an issue? So this little kid can't play pirates anymore in his own backyard, or at least not with his pirates flag, (or the so called Jolly Roger) because his parents didn't get it approved???

This kid's illness aside, this is so absurd that kids or anybody else can't use something they BOUGHT! It's like telling me I can't wear a shirt with the Jolly Roger on, although I legally purchased it.


Maybe this supposed to be some kind of an ACTA case..

edit on 1-3-2012 by Hellas because: (no reason given)

So what business is this advertising? I'll have to look at the link ...

reply to post by fnpmitchreturns


They never mentioned it

Originally posted by reficul
reply to post by Hellas

 

imagine if the law in the u.s. cracked down on the southern 'rebel' flag! there would be mass arrests! gosh here in canada too!!!!

Who would say something against it if you think about that? Apparently they don't care in the UK, too

One of the councils here have a policy that you can only fly the Australian flag. I know of a guy who was told to take down his "boxing kangaroo" flag by them.

I don't understand what they mean by "advertising" if he isn't selling anything...

It's the idiotic government.
Just as bad as labour.

Originally posted by Gazmeister
It's the idiotic government.
Just as bad as labour.

edit on 13/3/12 by Gazmeister because: (no reason given)

Plus the people who let that happen

They were just mad he wasn't playing Parliament in his backyard and had the English flag flying...

Funny, how it seems now a days, kids aren't allowed to have fun anymore...You already can't let your kids play in the front yard, trying to take the backyard away too?

this has been happening too much here in the U.K. it was on our local news the other night that a childs wooden wendy house had to be moved or taken down because it could be seen by passers-by along the road, and also it would need planning permission to be erected. wth!, this is a childs play house built for a disabled son who enjoys playing at being a builder etc with his lil play hammer and drill. how sad is this all becoming?

This is nothing to do with conspiracy. It's all about red tape and council jobsworths who are too big for their boots.

reply to post by fnpmitchreturns

TextSo what business is this advertising? I'll have to look at the link ...

Pittsburg Pirates , the kid is an American ball fan too .

I've seen many lawn displays that should be banned! Pink flamingos - GONE, gnomes- Bye-Bye, lawn jockeys, kids fishing, and most importantly, wait for it, the cutout granny bending over - See-Ya!

Then again many communities ban such unsightly displays.

Truthfully, I could care less as long as it isn't garbage and filth in someone's yard.

They should really be enforcing this law on business putting up fliers, posters and signs on corners and road ways.

As a hard working taxpayer, I'd love to see a trimming down of all local / borough councils to levels that serve a real purpose, and provide services to the community.
Idiotic departments - often with a director level head and bloated staff numbers - that add no real benefit to the community or it's services are an affront to taxpayers. This is just another in a very long line of examples that prove my viewpoint.

I seriously don't get the "advertising" bit though. I mean, I have not seen any organisations offering pirate goods and services on the TV or other media in recent history. Maybe they think this child is advertising his services as a pirate?