The Isle of Wight Green Party has reported the damage and theft of several of its campaign signs from gardens in Shanklin, along with an ‘unprecedented but targeted’ written warning posted anonymously through the door of one of its county council elections candidates.
Signs with the party’s ‘Vote Green’ slogan were snapped off last week in Hyde Road, with one put into a wheelie bin. Meanwhile, another sign on a road leading into Godshill also met the same fate.
Alongside these incidents, according to the party, one of its county council election candidates received an anonymous letter through their front door requesting that they remove their campaign signage, stating that “we voted overwhelminglyy [sic] in the last election for a conservative government and to get Brexit Done and we don’t want to be rude but your politics are not really welcome here.”
All incidents of damage and the incident involving the letter have been reported to the police.
Chair of the local party, Vix Lowthion, said:
“It is alarming and upsetting that Islanders who are partaking in the democratic process and to do the very best for the community in which they live are being subject to such hate mail and attacks. Our Green Party candidates are a very close-knit group, and we have rallied around to support this valued member of the Green Team. We thank the Police for their swift response.
“We will not be intimidated by destructive actions such as this, because we know that the vast majority of Islanders support our democratic right to stand in an election, stick up posters and put forward a positive future for the people of the Isle of Wight. The response that our Green Party candidates are getting on the streets, lanes, and on doorsteps is overwhelmingly positive.
Article continues below this advertisement “The writer of this note and the people who have pulled down our signs have only confirmed our resolve to ensure that more Green Councillors are elected next week.”
Find out who your local councillor is, how and where to vote and the results of previous elections at www.isleofwight.vote - the Island's new hub for all things related to Local and General Elections, brought to you by Island Echo.
This sort of undemocratic behavior is not acceptable.
Perfectly legitimate – if all those in the affected area agree – that is local democracy in action
if every resident in hyde road agrees that they do not want the green party canvassing in their road, they have the democratic right not to be ignored or have that party be present in their area.
if just one resident disagrees with the actions of the letter writer or those removing placards, then the action would then be undemocratic.
when 100% of the residents agree, then it is not undemocratic and perfectly legitimate.
No, this behaviour is totally unacceptable. The right place
who decides who is suitable is the ELECTION VOTING CARD in the booth.
sunshine – you are correct in the place to decide who is elected, however, if 100% of a group in a street decide that they do not want placards in the area they live, which reflect something they all disagree with, then they have the collective right to decide what is and isn’t displayed in their street.
it of course, could not apply to the next road and as stated, if one person disagreed and wanted to see other parties placards, then the right of the party to canvass in that area should be preserved.
democracy is also defined as..control of an organization or group by the majority of its members … in this case Hyde road residents
True… as long as we know the exact street and addresses of those who agree with this decision, AND those who didn’t vote. otherwise it is just a looney making stupid claims and causing criminal damage and harassment.. THAT is democracy!
Clearly they do not as people in the area put posters up. So glad people support fascism over democracy, it is important in this post Brexit stage to ensure people have all rights removed, as you are aware dictatorships do not work well if people have any inalable rights to fight back with.
Encouraging to see that someone feels a Green administration is a threat.
Let’s hope they get the chance to find out.
“Democracy not welcome here!”
We know the Green’s are crap but we are still a democracy
Shame the neighbour can’t spell. Hope they can read to tick the right box on their ballot paper.
What a moron to write something like that. Frightening thing is that this individual has a vote.
Our policy for defence of the UK is very good though.
We are going to plant a long gorse hedge all around the UK’s coast to keep out undesirables.
And put up bee hives to gain honey too.
Positive thinking here please, don’t just see the bad
Can you translate please?
What will those greens do next for attention, I bet it was a put up job for more publicity. Their usual publicity is dire, I usually see that picture of old grinny gob and quickly skip the page.
Although I am not a supporter of the green party , this sort of behaviour is totally unacceptable.
We all have our opinions but something like this is uncalled for .
The people/person who have removed the signs and posted the note have got a bloody cheek. The Green candidate has every right to stand for election. Tory’s will undoubtedly get in again, mores the pity. Money wasters!!! Though I certainly will NOT be voting Conservative.
I don’t know who this muppet is but they don’t speak for all of us. Let’s be honest for a moment, Conservatives haven’t exactly proven themselves to be the people’s government over the past decade, and the island itself has suffered inexorably too as a consequence. To the aforementioned person, let the people decide who they want to vote for and keep your conservative modes of thinking to yourself
The Greens are not a legitimate choice they are a lifestyle choice nothing political about them, way to one dimensional.
Sorry for being honest.
Not unreasonable. Perfectly polite and non-threatening.
Too cowardly to put their name on it, though.