Store row protest

Katie Fitzpatrick

November 11, 2009

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MAKING their voices heard ... protesters outside Asda Rochdale on Saturday.

ANGRY shoppers made their voices heard at a protest at Asda superstore in Rochdale.

The protest at Asda in Dane Street was held after an employee allegedly refused to serve a customer wearing a Help for Heroes wristband.

But Beth Hoyle of Whitworth, the customer at the centre of the wristband storm, appealed to people not to take part in the demonstration after posting a message on the Facebook site 'Boycott Asda' ahead of the protest, urging people to attend a Remembrance Sunday service instead.

Mrs Hoyle said: "All of you who are planning to protest at Asda, should remember what this weekend is, and instead of going to Asda tomorrow, go to a service of Remembrance on Sunday instead.

Despite that, protesters turned up outside the store to demand action against the employee and called for people to boycott the store.

The protest, which began at 12noon on Saturday and ran until 3pm, was attended by police and watched by Asda security staff in case of trouble.

Protesters carried banners with messages including 'Support Our Heroes' and they placed the Union Flag and St George's Cross over barriers.

As more than 65 people demonstrated in the car park at the front of the store, staff served cups of tea and coffee to help stave off the cold.

Rumours spread that representatives from the British National Party would be joining the protest, but this turned out to be untrue.

The protest was joined shortly after 12.15pm by a gang of 12 Rochdale Football Club supporters, who chanted football songs, but they left after half an hour.

Sergeant Carl O'Brien, of the Rochdale North Neighbourhood Policing Team, said the protest passed peacefully. He said: "Asda identified a place for people to protest and it passed without incident. The area manager came out and spoke with the protesters and Asda staff looked after them by bringing them brews. One group of lads was shouting so police spoke to them. They are Rochdale Football Club supporters and all local lads and they were singing football songs. But they got bored and left after about half an hour. There was a rumour that the BNP were there but that wasn't the case."

Inside the store a representative for the Royal British Legion sold Remembrance Day poppies and Help for Heroes wristbands. Asda said they were scheduled to hold a kiosk at the store ahead of the protest.

Protester Malcolm Nickless, whose son has recently returned from two six month tours in Afghanistan and a six month tour of Iraq, said: "People have been talking about boycotting Asda and one person said 'I'm not going into Asda until they do something in respect of the soldiers'.

"Soldiers get such a rough deal but there are people who don't understand what's going on in Afghanistan. It is as though the soldiers are the bad guys. They are proud to be serving their country and they don't need people stabbing them in the back. They are doing their job and I hope that Rochdale stands behind these lads and give them the respect that they deserve. Every one of them deserves a medal for what they do, but all they ask is for some respect."

The protest was arranged by a Facebook group called 'Boycott Asda'. The group now has 4,454 members, with approximately 300 turning up for the protest throughout the afternoon.

Last week Mrs Hoyle was assured by company bosses that those responsible will be dealt with and also received a bunch of flowers and an apology from Asda.

A spokesman for Asda told the Observer that they are still investigating the incident but they have not yet found out who was responsible. The spokesman said they were pleased that the protest passed without incident.

They said: "We served cups of tea and coffee and there was a Royal British Legion representative selling poppies and Help for Heroes wristbands. We were expecting some of the BNP there but the protest went without violence or disruption. We have spoken to nearly every person in store now and still nobody knows anything about this incident."

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max Imum (11/11/2009 at 09:22)

Almost 4500 people on the group and only round 300 turned up.. laughable when you see how many on Facebook said they where going to turn up and then didnt!

I'm glad I tipped off the press and Asdas now..

selfexiled (11/11/2009 at 09:33)

There is a fundamental flaw in the protesters strategy,they are targetting a individual who for all the wrong reasons as become a victim of our "PC" "Nappy " not Nanny, far worse than that ,State.
The restraints on freedom of speech and expression as got to the stage that everyone now is covering their Backside against becoming a victim of anything that upsets the minority and reading this case facts that is what the individual was doing.If the individual had been in a store in Richmond Surrey their would not have been the scenario to refuse this request but because its in a town that as a high minority of religous belief allayed with those we are fighting in a war against tero

A Saracen (11/11/2009 at 09:39)

singing football songs. how does that help the soldiers in Afghanistan?

selfexiled (11/11/2009 at 09:41)

The proresters should look at the real cause of this individual acting as he or she did.It as become impossible now in the UK to say or do anything that might upset ethical minorities regardless weather those action may be justified.The PC State we live in compels everyone to cover thier backsides against any backlash there would be for allowing such actions in a public place.Given there is a sizeable ethnical minotity in Rochdale who,s religion is that of the People we are killing in Afghanistsan then the Actions of the ASDA employee can be seen in the light it should be.Take down the Scaffold and get on with your lives in a constructive way.

hippo, North West (11/11/2009 at 12:53)

surely they can identify the suprvisor fromthe time and the day the lady was refused custom! from there they can then surely remember whom they agreed with! sounds like a cop out from Asda

wickedchop, littleborough (11/11/2009 at 12:57)

Its funny the management don't know who the individual is, as the staff know all to well.

Martin F, Rochdale (13/11/2009 at 07:39)

How can a major supermarket not know which member of staff was on which register at a given time?
You know if the drawer was 20 quid short someone would have been sacked by now.

That said, I think the whole incident describes the phrase 'blowing it out of all proportion' to a tee. It was one person in one store.
Asda, while they may have their faults (being owned by Wal*Mart is probably the biggest), they probably don't deserve this public vitriol.
They don't want to publically recognize the individual in the case because they would have no choice but to sack them - thus opening the gates to all kinds of lawsuits.

Henry Kelly, Ireland (13/11/2009 at 13:51)

The employee could be sacked on the spot for gross misconduct. He would have little chance before a tribunal. The fact is Asda don't want to sack this person. Then the stores will be boycotted by a different ethnic group and open up a whole Pandoras box of trouble. The lady concerned wants to let this drop, I personally will never enter Asda Rochdale again.

Redberry, Manchester (13/11/2009 at 23:56)

Rumours of BNP supporters turning up! I think this was a ploy by somebody within Asda hoping that the Anti Fascist crowd would also turn up. Then following riot that always happens when these 2 mobs meet would distract the public and the press from the real issue with the BNP taking the blame. As we can see the protesters were not racist yobs but decent members of the public who still have pride in their country and our armed forces who have died and suffered the most appalling injuries.
I am not a member of any extreme right or left organisations and totally disagree with our troops fighting overseas and would rather see them back home protecting our boarders from terrorists.
I cannot understand why Asda are obviously trying to pretend they have not found out, which staff has caused them to lose customers and ultimately money. If they don't take action this could create a precedent and other staff may have objections to other items worn by customers and refuse to serve them.

christina pallett (14/11/2009 at 20:52)

I would like to comment on the article and the quote made by Mr Malcolm Nickless. I wholeheartedly agree with what Mr Nickless states in the article and we should be behind our troops 100%. They have a hard enough task without being penalised for doing what they are trained to do. Our troops not only go out to Afghanistan to fight a war but to try and make Afghanistan a better place. They build schools, hospitals and ensure there is water and power to outlying villages amongst other things. It is bad enough that we have to raise money through selling wrist bands, doing sponsored events etc so that our injured troops or the families left behind are provided for!! Good luck in your task Mr Nickless in getting Asda to compensate for the disgusting event that took place and lets give our soldiers all the support they deserve, whether it be financial or vocal. Christina Pallett

RED2THE CORE (15/11/2009 at 14:09)

5 protesters turned upon the 14 november 2009 what a good show eh.......and all those who said on a certain facebook said that they would......shallow ppl eh.
As if asda walmart can not say oh it was this lad who didnt serve the customer and the spervisor who backed him surley they know who was on the store at that shift time,why doesnt the woman mrs hoyle just go to the store and point out the two involved and then watch as both are given there final pay packets to go to the british leigon and then both people given their p45's and told that any further employer will recieve a explination as to why they where sacked on the spot.
i dont think either would find a job again.

Officer in Charge. Waste Disposal, Eastlands Depot (16/11/2009 at 17:16)

I believe that the only person acting sensibly during this whole affair is Mrs Hoyle.
She has made it clear that there are far more important issues surrounding our Heros than carrying on with these protests against the ASDA store.
ASDA could put this issue to bed by dealing with the staff involved. A verbal warning followed up with some customer care training should suffice.

Redberry, Manchester (19/11/2009 at 16:13)

5 protesters turned upon the 14 November 2009 Well so much for our support of the troops. All under the table now and Asda giving a big sigh of relief and back to the normal disrespect to their customers and our brave soldiers. Well done folks!!

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