Holiday competition ruled offside as anti-English hate crime

A competition described as ‘tongue in cheek’ that offered entrants the chance to win a free holiday has been referred to the police as a potential hate crime, according to The Drum.

The billboard signs offered people the chance to win a free holiday to whichever country lifted the World Cup. The ‘Anywhere But England’ campaign was promoted across a shopping centre in Edinburgh with numerous signs plastered in the mall corridors. They’ve since been removed after a Scot said the adverts were racist.

According to The Scotsman, the man who made the complaint said: “I went to do some shopping in Sainsbury’s and was confronted by this banner… It was very in your face. I was quite offended – it’s racist.”

However, a spokesperson for the mall said the ‘Anywhere But England’ slogan referred to holidaymakers’ desire to holiday somewhere exotic. They claim it has nothing to do with the England football team. “We’re sure we speak for the majority of Scots by wishing England all the best in the World Cup,” they added.

This is just one in a number of stories about products displaying the ‘Anywhere But England’ slogan have been removed. Earlier this week HMV stopped promoting the line, but said they would continue to sell the products until stock runs out.

South of the border, England fans have retaliated with their own slogan; SNP – Scotland Not Playing.

A Lothian and Borders Polices spokesman said the force were aware of an incident “regarding an allegation of an offensive slogan used to publicise a competition run by an Edinburgh shopping centre.”

He said it had been recorded as a hate crime incident “as per national guidance on the recording of hate crime. However, no further action will be taken at this stage.”