Steven Rolfe: Ex-soldier told to repaint his St George's flag front door by housing association after it was deemed offensive and distressing
For ten years, Steven Rolfe has displayed the flag with pride.
But far from making him a patriotic citizen, his unorthodox St George’s banner has seen him branded a ‘nuisance neighbour’.
The 52-year-old former soldier painted the red and white symbol on his front door in 2003 yet only now have his landlords decided it is ‘offensive’ and must go.
He has 14 days to remove it – or face eviction.Mr Rolfe, who served in Northern Ireland in the 1980s, said: ‘I’ve had this for ten years and nobody has said anything until now.
‘My landlords, Places for People, sent me a letter saying it could be deemed offensive, and that I was breaking my agreement over a nuisance.
‘I wrote back, asking for retrospective permission because it’s been there so long, but they weren’t interested.
'I’m ex-forces and I’m proud to be English. I’m not in the EDL or any other racist group. I’m very angry about this, and I won’t be changing anything. I want my day in court.’
The enforcement notice has sparked outrage among Mr Rolfe’s neighbours in Preston and Muslim groups have criticised the housing company’s stance. Ali Anwar, a Muslim representative on the Preston faith forum, said: ‘As far as I’m concerned, a man’s home is his castle, and he should be allowed to express himself as he wishes.
‘This is political correctness gone mad. As a Muslim it really frustrates me that organisations become overly politically correct and make issues and tensions where there aren’t any. They don’t speak for the Muslim community.
‘The flag of St George needs to be reclaimed from the far right. There is nothing offensive about the flag and anyone who is proud to be English should be able to fly it.’
David Borrow, a former Labour MP who is now a local councillor, said: ‘The door has been like that a long time and, having spoken to the gentleman, I have no reason to believe that he is anything other than a decent member of the community.
The letter warned Mr Rolfe the design could place him in a catagory of 'nuisance neighbour' and said it could mean him being evicted if he failed to cover it up‘I do not believe that he has intended the door to symbolise anything offensive, and I have heard no specific complaints.
‘There are other doors in the city that have flags painted on to them, and there appear to be no problems at all.’
John Clemence, who is vice-president of the Royal Society of St George, said: ‘To say that the cross of St George can cause offence needs to be challenged.
More... Rural council votes to stop flying flag of St George claiming it is offensive to town's 16 Muslims because of links to CRUSADES Average English child says ‘like’ five times more than their grandparents as 20 year language study finds standards are also slipping at the House of Commons‘We are seeing more and more of this kind of complaint, and these jobsworths are causing resentment and inciting racial hatred.’
Places for People, which owns Mr Rolfe’s house, has since apologised for calling the flag offensive but insists its tenant must repaint the door because he did not have the proper permission to turn it into an England flag.
Places for People has since apologised for calling the flag 'offensive' but said Mr Rolfe must still repaint the door because he does not have the proper permissionA Places for People spokesman said yesterday: ‘We do apologise for describing the door as offensive, which it is clearly not.
‘Under the customer’s tenancy agreement, they can make alterations and additions to their property, including external decoration, so long as they gain written consent from ourselves and meet our decoration specifications.
‘We have asked Mr Rolfe to repaint his door as he has not requested our permission and his door does not meet our decoration specifications.
‘We are happy to discuss any future changes he may wish to make to his rented property.’
Mr Rolfe, who helps out in a friend’s chip shop, says he has won a Preston Council award for the appearance of his house and has flown the St George’s cross in the past.
