Veterans protest on 'disrespectful' Falklands tweet by Stan Collymore
A silent protest was held against former Aston Villa striker Stan Collymore by war veterans following an offensive message about the Falklands conflict.
The ex-England international from Cannock posted a controversial tweet to his 612,000 plus followers earlier this year claiming Britain had 'thieved' the Falklands.
The initial tweet by Collymore said: "Falklands? Wasn't anyone's. We just thieved it, as we do. What glory, what triumph. A ****ing island with sheep. Rule Britannia."
Around 40 people including ex-serviceman gathered outside talkSPORT headquarters in London where Collymore is a pundit, on Saturday amid calls for an apology.
Campaign spokesman and Falklands veteran Dougie Brimson, aged 55, who organised the protest, said: "Stan Collymore disrespected the memory of the 255 men and three islanders who died during the liberation of the Falkland Islands. It upset a lot of people and has taken us to this position. Everybody's got a right to hold an opinion and to voice that opinion. The issue with the tweet is that the words used – inferring that the islands were thieved – we found disrespectful."
Mr Brimson added: "Many people are calling for him to be removed from the air, I don't necessarily agree with that, but we want a resolution. I think if you cause offence to people, either knowingly or unknowingly, you should be strong enough and brave enough to apologise.
"Sadly he hasn't felt the need to do that yet."
