Police have been called in to investigate a race row at a village carnival after participants ‘blacked-up’ their faces for a float depicting the Jamaican bobsleigh team.
The men had donned black face paint and built a float based around the 1993 comedy film, Cool Runnings, for the annual Bank Holiday carnival in the seaside resort of Aberaeron, West Wales, on Monday.
But the decision by organizers to allow the float into the procession provoked fury from the local Labor Party in Ceredigion which described it as ‘racism – pure and simple.’
In a post on Facebook, Labor candidate Dinah Mulholland said she was ‘utterly horrified’ by the float. She added: ‘How could this have been considered acceptable, or even legal, by the carnival organizers?’
While some commended her stance, Mrs Mulholland’s comments were also derided by hundreds of others on social media, who branded her a ‘clown,’ described her as ‘pathetic’ and called for her to ‘get a grip.’
Labor politician Dinah Mulholland said the fancy dress choice was ‘unacceptable’
Carnivalgoer Hayley Savers posted: ‘Aberaeron carnival was yet again absolutely fantastic and all that took part should be immensely proud.
‘To try to turn, what was seen by most as people dressing as fictional characters into a row on racism for your own political gain is pathetic and has seemingly backfired.
‘The only thing that has been achieved here is actually encouraging hate….mainly towards the Labor Party!’
Stuart Ramsden said: ‘No offence was meant. Carnivals are supposed to be fun. These guys are just celebrating one of the greatest films of all time.’
While Dean Holland told Mrs Mulholland her comment was ‘political correctness gone wrong.’
‘What’s the problem it’s not racist in any way … it is celebrating several aspects of a sporting team and the problems they went through.’
‘There may have been no conscious agenda or racist intent towards involved people of African or Caribbean heritage in the Cool Runnings float, but there is no doubt that offence has been caused and that there is a danger that unchallenged, such behavior makes casual racism seem okay.’
The organizers of the carnival, which is run by volunteers, failed to respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
Cool Runnings is based on the real life story of Jamaica’s first bobsleigh team to compete at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
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