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A CLUB OF bearded men posing for a photograph in the Swedish countryside with their black flag was mistaken for IS militants, prompting a visit by the police.
Andreas Fransson, 32, was with his bearded buddies on Saturday outside the ruins of Brahehus castle in southern Sweden when two police officers turned up.
“They told us that a motorist thought he had seen a gathering of IS terrorists,” said Fransson, whose Bearded Villains organisation does charity work.
On grasping the situation, the two officers “had a good laugh” and got back in their patrol car “with smiles on their faces,” said Fransson who works in public relations.
He acknowledged that the club’s flag – two crossed sabres on a black background – could easily be confused with that of the Islamic State group.
“We belong to a club that is part of an association created in the United States, called the Bearded Villains and which fights against injustice, homophobia, racism and oppression,” Fransson said.
The flag gets passed from club-to-club around the world and we take pictures with the flag to show our community.
It was a funny incident but it’s a shame to be associated with IS given our charity work.
Last week, an engineering school in southern France called ISIS ran into trouble with Canadian customs agents worried over a possible link to the jihadist group, which also uses the same acronym.
Additional reporting Cianan Brennan
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They’re supposed to be elected as public representatives. What could be more important than meeting this person.
Simple Simon running for cover again and using another outrage towards Irish women as cover. What a waste of space…..
Jesus Christ but can’t women in this country catch a break…
@Vigo The Carpathian: considering a lot of men on here are voting No and even joke about our bodily autonomy (not to be mixed up with theirs which is taken for granted). No.
Maybe the fact that this latest information is mainly about older women is a factor in his decision not to bother meeting them or their representative ? So perhaps the minister is ageist as well as incompetent ?
He’s a journalist for heavens sake, how would he even remotely have any idea what the hell is going on with women’s problems like this & be able to give any reassurance to these unfortunate women?
Well due to the appalling mess that is the HSE the minister is clearly a very busy man, running from one emergency to the next. At least there are no fatalities associated with this one. BTW whats with the Journal telling me this post “This may be perceived as toxic 4.2/10″ would you not take a flying one……
@Austin Rock: That’s just typical of a man to make such a statement, have you in any way , any idea what these women suffer, but sure hey “ there’s no fatalities “ so it’s grand!
@Colette Kearns: to be fair he said no fatalities associated with this one in reference to the smear test debacle in with there are fatalities. In no way did he say it’s ok because there are no fatalities
@Dave O Keeffe: He showed he doesn’t have a clue about the issue, the pain and suffering women have to go through when problems arise. All he’s concerned about is excusing Harris ignoring these women.
I do agree with him about this “Toxic” rubbish that apperars while i’m typing a comment.
That’s shameful of Harris and he wants us to vote and hand over the 8th too! VOTE NO
@Maeve Wall: ah look another new account
@Maeve Wall: go away.
I wonder what advice could any of the female journalists on here give to men with problems with their prostate or similar . Funny how nothing like that is going on (t g ) but it’s always the women that suffer. As the saying goes “ it’s a mans world “ & they want to keep it that way. ( thankfully not all men tho)
Can’t help but notice the way J.B. Is standing!!
What was so important that it had to be cancelled? Is the matter being raised too soon after the cervical cancer scandal and Fine Gael is trying to create some time distance between one and the other?
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Further breast examination tests taken previously, have been reported to up questioned also. This too is being kept on a profile by a certain group of newspapers – little or no reporting. The public deliberate left in the dark again?
Bloody hell our health system has a serious problem treating women for female specific issues. Is the woman’s body a new thing to the HSE?
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