Lee Rigby's unofficial memorial has been removed by the council because it looks 'unsightly'. The decision was taken after discussions with local residents who didn't like it. Rigby has a permanent memorial but it's quite far from the spot where was killed and many friends, family and others have continued to place flags, messages, tributes etc at the spot where was brutally murdered. I dont know what to make of it. The flags dont impinge on houses, It is an estate full of flats and the tributes are on railings along the main road. It has previously been vandalised. I do have a worry that the vandalism and objections come from people of a more extremist nature who simply object to the remembrance of a British soldier and English flags. I dont know how they can deem it unsightly to the area, it's a total ****hole anyway. On the other hand, how long does this go on for? He has a permanent memorial, isn't that enough? What do you think? right or wrong decision? Lets not turn it into one of those threads please. Whats your view on the actual decision taken by the council? https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/lee-rigbys-unofficial-memorial-taken-11872435
There are official memorials. This was a fence round peoples houses being decorated with flags and items. Literally decorating someone elses home boundary.
Thats basically what it boils down to. It's too much of a right wing memorial. Like an EDL convention.
I have a real issue with memorials / flowers etc at the site of peoples’ death. Personally, if I died in a car crash or something similar, the last thing I would want is flowers left at the roadside — rember me for who I was and what I did in life, not where I (potentially tragically) died.
In all fairness it looked like crap. We have a similar thing locally where someone was run over and it looks awful. I'd hate for someone to do that on the spot where I'd died.
Someone got killed at a set of traffic lights near me early hours NYD 2003 and I drove past the other day and they are still putting flowers up as they have done every year since.
I feel these things are best settled with a predetermined period of reflection on the site of the incident...perhaps 3-6 months before we should all expect things to return to normal. If we all expected that to be the case residents close by can rest in the knowledge that, whatever issues they may have, they will be remedied in a reasonable and respectful amount of time and in a suitable manner. Also English and British flags are not inherently right-wing or racist and the people that think they are are as thick as those that think a few scumbags hijacking Islamic emblems or the entire religion represents every member of that faith. Lee Rigby was attacked specifically because he represented The United Kingdoms' armed forces and the Flags are appropriate because of that.
An unsightly mess - clearing it is a perfectly rational course of action. Don’t get me started on those “ghost bikes” padlocked to public property years after people have died in accidents.
Local residents? I wonder what colour flag they fly? Pathetic, weak council there should be an official monument for him.
Right decision, people have to live there and should have the right to decide what their properties/neighbourhood looks like. I'm sure none of the residents have any issue with people paying their respects to Lee Rigby but it needs to be done in the right way, especially when it involves stuff like flags and bunting as opposed to the usual bunch of flowers. From my point of view I'd be less than pleased to be greeted by that lot every time I left my house, even though I completely understand why people want to do it.
Correct decision. I agree with the post that says there should be an allowed period of time for people to pay their respects at the site but if the family wanted a more permanent memorial then they should see permission. It also looks quite unsightly and is hardly a nice way to be remembered.
It's not even that it looks like anything right wing, it just looks like a lazy football fan hasn't been bothered to take his flags down after the last World Cup, it's just a bloody mess.
English flags are right wing now? Anyway, it looked tacky and cheap, I wouldn't want to see that. If they really cared, they would ask permission for a proper one, like a brass plaque on a bench or wall somewhere close.
