A joke poster parodying the style of a Welsh Government ad has sparked a storm of angry responses.
Owen Williams' Twitter post features an image of a Welsh flag flying from a hillside with the message "No mask, no Wales."
Underneath it says: “If you visit us this summer, wear a mask. Wales is not England. Our laws are different. "
While most recognize it as a parody, many have taken it as an official announcement and complained that it is "racist" and "xenophobic".
Owen, who describes himself as 'professionally Welsh', spoke to Nation Cymru about the reaction and said: “It took me twenty minutes to do it and to be clear, it is a satire! But it also has a serious message: Wales and England are different.
Torrent
With over 500 comments and 29,000 likes, Owen Williams' Twitter account has received a torrent of notifications as people continue to react.
Some of the comments include: “It is provocative and I feel nationalistic when we rely on the British pound to boost our economy. "
Another said: “Actually most of its laws are English and the union between England and Wales has never been properly abrogated since Henry VIII. You are still part of England "
To congratulate
But in addition to criticism, the poster has received a lot of praise from people who say it raises a major problem, Cian Ireland responded:
“The people in the responses that you call this offensive, imagine how store workers and other industrial workers who come into contact with tourists feel when they see people without masks. Especially when they themselves or their coworkers are at high risk if they get COVID? "
Face coverings are still mandatory for public transport and shops in Wales, while the UK government has recommended them in England.
To help people understand the parody, Owen posted his previous series of 'Don't Visit Wales' graphics, created with a similar subversion of public notices:
Don't visit Wales 🏴 pic.twitter.com/N31e67IOIp
- Owen Williams 🏴 (@OwsWills) April 10, 2020
