Rude protest over cemetery row
Saturday 27th September 2008, 2:01PM BST.
A Shrewsbury graveyard at the centre of a row about tributes being left by graves has been branded with a clear message to council bosses.
Visitors to the Chaffinch area of Emstrey Crematorium were left upset today after spotting the 3ft high, 12ft long message “Mean Buggers” branded on a verge bank with what appears to be weed killer.
Previously, Shrewsbury and Atcham borough councillors received letters and calls of complaint from dozens of people whose relatives have been laid to rest in Emstrey Crematorium after they were told to remove flowers and ornaments.
The message, believed to have been put there yesterday or this morning, is thought to have been aimed at council officials.
Grieving relatives were shocked to receive letters from the authority, which owns the crematorium, asking for all ornaments and shrubs to be removed by September 15.
Following protests, borough councillors formed a group to review the crematorium’s policy on floral tributes and was looking to contact the Church of England to consider its views and experience on managing consecrated ground.
One relative, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I went to the Chaffinch area of the cemetery on Thursday afternoon to put flowers on my wife’s grave and it was fine then. But when I went today I thought the council had cleared a grass verge but standing back I realised what it was.
“It is awful. I was so upset I rang the people who did the funeral service for me and they were absolutely disgusted.
“I had the letter as well but obviously someone has taken umbrage to it. I walked backwards, away from it, and I could read it. It is disgraceful.”
David Wraith, environmental health manager responsible for bereavement services at the council, has said the council sent out the letters after receiving complaints about the number of objects left on graves at the site.
He said the letter was to remind people of the rules they had agreed to abide by when they purchased burial rites and was not intended to cause upset or announce new rules.
The borough council was unavailable for comment today.
By Rhea Parsons
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i quite agree with who ever did this, just be thankfull, if it had been me it would have been a lot stronger language. good on the person who did it.
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Whilst I think it is disgraceful that Shrewsbury Council have taken this stance (together with many other local councils in the area) to desecrate a Cemetary in this way is nothing short of disgusting.
That said, the way Councils are preventing relatives from leaving tributes in Cemetaries, purely so it makes it easier for them to mow the grass, is also disgusting. Unfortunately, Councils attract ‘jobsworth’ types, who, once employed, seem to take pleasure in exerting their ‘power’ over the general public who pay their wages, and care little for such things as compassion.
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So what are those people who approve of the councils stance against the displays which some consider is bad taste supposed to do? What the numbskulls fail to realise is that whilst they are carrying out their ‘protest’, I as a taxpayer have to fund the repairs. If the culprit got caught they’ll only dock 50p a week from their giro anyway.
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How can anyone agree with this action at this location!!
If you had to resort to such tactics why not in the grass facing the Guldhall where at least those who make the decisons would see it. To do it where the majority of people who would see it are grieving friends and relatives is crassly insensitive and obvously carried out by someone who has very little or no sympathy for the bereaved.
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i dont think the grounds of a cemetry is a place to make the point, people are going to grieve and do not need to be greeted with this especially if this is by your plot. there are people buried there afterall, fair enough make your point but not there. i think its disgraceful and whoever has done it has not helped their point!!!
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If people want to make protests they should do it in a adult manner contact the person in charge write a strong letter and get some media attention.
But to protest this way is sickening – many people will be griving and to confront this is out of order.
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The Council Jobsworth who initiated this piece of thoughtless stupidity should be held to account.
A very insensitive person, clearly not in the right job.
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So the fool who sprayed the grass think it will help matters. I am disgusted with this action.
As for those who think they should cover their graves. I say you knew the rules so keep to them.
It’s like parking. The sign says no parking but they still do, and then complain when they get a ticket.
The Council is quite correct in its action.
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The important paragraph in this article is towards the end and contains “to remind people of the rules they had agreed to abide by when they purchased burial rites (sic – I’m guessing it should be sites)”.
The council are simply asking people to do something they agreed to do. Nothing wrong with that. If you don’t like the contract, don’t sign it – bury your dead elsewhere.
I agree with those condeming this act of vandalism as tasteless and a waste of resources to repair.
On a final note, to “Mr Reluctant to be Identified”, surely if you “walk backwards away from” something, doesn’t that mean you are facing it when walking away ?
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the council probably want to build a new theatre on it!
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