Dozens of protestors demonstrated against a businessman’s ‘offensive’ Facebook post about asylum seekers. Robert Braddick, an influential businessman in Westward Ho!, is under fire for posting an “offensive meme” to the social media platform.
The photograph depicted people inside a small inflatable boat wearing life jackets, spliced with a screenshot from the film Jaws in which Robert Schneider, playing Chief Brody, says: “We’re gonna need a bigger shark.”
Former Bideford town councillor, Kaye Corfe, 41, says the post caused “outrage and fear” among residents. She decided to hold a vigil on Monday, in protest of Mr Braddick’s since-deleted post.
Kaye said: “Robert is a very prominent business owner in Westward Ho! The post itself was in very bad taste – but the comments from members of the public were abominably racist.
“I asked him, under a post from him about New Year’s Eve, if he’d seen the comments. He told me: ‘Sorry, I’ve moved on,’ and that he only took it down because he was asked to.”
After the photo was shared, Kaye said she held conversations with residents of colour within the community. She claims one person told her she was “scared” of attending a New Year’s Eve party held at Braddick’s pub.
She added: “This isn’t who we are as a community. Yes, we’re a predominantly white village, but we have people of colour within the community – and [the vigil] is about showing them that they’re welcome here.
“Rob does a lot of good for this community; but it feels like he doesn’t give a damn about the hurt he’s caused. I’m a white woman, and I’m using my white privilege, if you like, to spread the word.”
Others on social media spoke out in support of Mr Braddick, with one person commenting: “Imagine demonising and attacking a hard working local that has gifted opportunities to many.
“The left need to stop being busy bodies and stop being offended by people with a sense of humour.”
Mr Braddick, who owns a large empire of bars, restaurants, amusement arcades and a holiday park declined to comment but admitted he ‘wrongly’ shared the Facebook post.