‘Disrespect to those who laid down their lives!’ Owner of destroyed Poppy window display speaks out after vicious attack
Patrick Christys speaks with business owner Keith Campbell about the attack on his business
A community has come together to help a small business owner in Wokingham, after his business was vandalised, apparently in response to a Remembrance Day display in the window.
Speaking with GB News’ Patrick Christys, owner of Jay Printers, Keith Campbell, discussed the display he and the area’s Poppy Appeal organiser had erected: “We did a really nice window display with some of his items and mine, and we'd only done it for about four days.”
“I came back on the Saturday morning, came in Saturday morning and I thought someone had thrown paint to start with because I was across the road and as I walked over I could see someone that actually smashed it with a hammer.”
On why the display may have been targeted, Campbell said: “On the display there were two medals, a George Medal and a Victoria Cross, but they’re only copies and I wondered whether it was to do with those really.”
Jay Printers' display for the Poppy Appeal after being vandalised
GB News
Patrick questioned how this sort of thing could happen in such a community, saying “I wouldn't have thought it a hotbed of anti-military feeling?”
“I must admit,” said Campbell, “quite a lot of people came in and said how nice it looked prior to the window being damaged. It did look really nice.
“Sadly, once the window had been broken and they had to put safety film over it, you couldn't see it very well. People were coming in saying how disgusted they were and it was, it had upset a lot of people”
“It's just disgusting, just disrespectful for people who've laid down their lives and you know, the display at the moment, you cannot see it properly really.”
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Wreaths lay at the foot of the Cenotaph after the Remembrance Day SundayGETTYThough it caused Campbell and others in the community distress, the act of vandalism also brought out people’s charitable side as they came to the aid of the small business.
“David, the Poppy RBL guy who did the display with me, without me knowing put something on Facebook and here we are. People’s generosity has been quite amazing.”
So far, the GoFundMe set up to help cover the cost of repair to the shop window has earned almost £1,500, with any extra profits beyond the repair pledged to the poppy appeal.
“I think the fact that I was trying to do it with him to help the Poppy Appeal and he'd put some of his items in there, I think he just felt really bad about it, that I would end up having to pay £1000 in cost effectively. And obviously he went ahead and I didn't know, but it started to raise money and it's it's just been quite incredible.”
There are concerns that the monument will be trashed in protests ahead of Remembrance SundayGB News/TwitterCampbell also spoke about his own family ties to the Remembrance Day commemorations and why the destruction of his display affected him so deeply.
“I think a lot lot of it is my grandfather fought in the First World War and he's he served with the King's Royal Rifles. His name was William Campbell and he got wounded and I've actually got the the bullet and the clips that held his stomach together.”
“I've just got so much respect for people who put their lives on the line in any of the forces really. I just… I'm not worthy.”
Patrick made his outrage at the situation clear, saying: “It's really disgusting and anger inducing that people would look at something that's got, you know, war medals there, war memorabilia, poppies to our fallen military heroes and everything that symbolises in the run up to Remembrance Day.
"And someone would take a hammer to that, quite literally. I mean, that's disgusting.”
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