Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. HOME News Royal Showbiz & TV Sport Comment Finance Travel Entertainment Life & Style World UK Politics Royal US Science Weather Weird History Nature Sunday InYourArea The angry Tesco shopper called security after launching a verbal tirade against the woman raising money for the Royal British Legion 00:55, Fri, Nov 10, 2023 | UPDATED: 01:04, Fri, Nov 10, 2023
A poppy seller was abused in Northern Ireland (Image: GB News)
A pensioner who was abused by a raging shopper as she sold poppies in Tesco has spoken out.
In a video widely shared on social media, the woman approached the Royal British Legion volunteers in Tesco, Lurgan, Northern Ireland. The shopper told security it was “not acceptable” to Catholics to see the badges sold.
The woman accused the RBL volunteers of selling “badges for murderers”. She later questioned whether she would be allowed to sell IRA badges in the shop.
Now Roberta McNally, one of the RBL volunteers, has spooken out following the incident. Speaking to GB News, Roberta said: “I was just in Tesco that day and I was just doing what I normally do, and we could notice at the sidelines there was two guys who didn’t look right.
A video emerged on social media showing a poppy seller abused (Image: Facebook)
“So I stayed, just to see what was going to happen and then they stood for a long time. And then one of them came over, and started to give us a bit of abuse about some of the stuff that was on the table.
“RUC [Royal Ulster Constabulary] and UDR [Ulster Defence Regiment] stuff. Then he went away and another one came over and he started giving a bit of verbal abuse as well.
“And then later on that afternoon the woman in question that is in the video that has been shared all over social media, she came in and went nuts with verbal abuse.”
Roberta says the woman then shouted the UDR and RUC were “murderers”. Shoppers watched on in horror as the incident unfolded at the Millenium Way store.
The woman abused a Tesco poppy seller (Image: Facebook)
Become an Express Premium member Support fearless journalism Read The Daily Express online, advert free Get super-fast page loading The shopper was eventually asked to leave the superstore, pledging to stage a protest outside. After being asked to leave, she said: “This is annoying me as a customer, this is a disgrace.
“I will set up a protest outside this store! It shouldn’t be in store. There will be a protest.”
Police officers were eventually caleld to the shop. A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman said: “Police in Lurgan received a report of a verbal altercation at commercial premises in the Carnegie Street area on Tuesday 7th November.
“Officers attended and spoke to a number of individuals about the matter, however, no statement of complaint was made and no further action was taken. Police remained in the area and continued to monitor the situation.”
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