Neighbours row over golliwog in the window

[Jazzy]

A grandmother has been charged with racially aggravated harassment after she allegedly displayed a golliwog doll in her window following a row with a neighbour.



Jena Mason, 65, is accused of placing the controversial black doll on her window sill following an argument with her neighbour Stephen O'Donnell.



Mr O'Donnell made a complaint to police after his wife Rosemarie, who is Jamaican, and their mixed race children were offended by her actions.



He said: I am pleased the police are taking this seriously.



My family have found the whole thing quite dreadful. Often these things can get out of control and our objective is to put an absolute stop to it.



Mr O'Donnell, who lives in a £1.2m converted barn, called police to the road he shares with Mrs Mason in Worlingham, near Beccles, Suffolk, following the incident on Sunday, August 7.



Mrs Mason was arrested and has now been charged with racially aggravated harassment, which is an offence under section 28 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.



Full story with pictures: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8746049/Neighbours-row-over-golliwog-in-the-window.html



Question: Do you think she should have been arrested and charged with racially aggravated harassment? Why or why not?

 

[Cranos]

well I can't really tell from the article, but it seems that it has been going on for some time, so in that case yes. If this was the first time she was discriminating then it's a bit overreacted...



I get it though, racism can be really hurtful, especially for children.

 

[Jazzy]

Mrs Mason apparently claimed she believed the doll had been innocently put in the ground floor window of the 16th century home along with other toys by a child to get them out of the way of a family dog.

Even though I know this is probably not the truth, she's got a good explaination as to how this doll got there. Not sure why they didn't just tell her to remove it instead of arresting her.

 

[beowulf]

this just a tit for tat arguement



o'donnell dosnt sound like the sort of name for a person who is likely to be racially offended by a golliwog

i remember a report a while back.....someone had a collection of piggy banks.....displayed on her window ledge...........someone complained to the council 'as he found it offensive as pigs are against he religeon' (as this was Loughbrough it was bound to be someone who was muslim and not jewish)..........the council turned up and the woman told them to mind their own business and why was the man looking thro the windows in her house anyway!...slammed the door in her face and made her own complaint!...................as i remember once the papers got hold of it, it didnt go any further

 

[Jazzy]

I just think it's kind of crazy that people can tell you what you can or cannot display in a window of your own home. If they don't like what's displayed, then don't look at it!

 

[Evil Eye]

It's just a doll...

I just think it's kind of crazy that people can tell you what you can or cannot display in a window of your own home. If they don't like what's displayed, then don't look at it!

There are limits, though. Suppose someone puts porn on their windows... (Charge with displaying indecent pics to minors

)

 

[beowulf]

It's just a doll...

There are limits, though. Suppose someone puts porn on their windows... (Charge with displaying indecent pics to minors

)

but porn is illegal to display......a golliwog isnt, just politically incorrect to some

 

[Jazzy]

I still cannot believe this woman got arrested. Can't wait to see the outcome on this one.