James Kirkup James Kirkup

A ‘transphobic’ crime wave has hit Oxford

Oxford is suffering a crime wave. Police are investigating numerous serious offences over more than six months. Thames Valley Police has issued this sweeping statement about unacceptable acts in the city:

“Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a number of public offences in Oxford. Officers are investigating a large number of offensive stickers that have been placed across Oxford city centre containing transphobic comments. It is believed they started appearing in March 2019 within the High Street, Catte Street and Parks Road area. Investigating officer PC Rebecca Nightingale based at St Aldates police station said: “Behaviour like this is not acceptable and we take incidents of this nature very seriously. “I am appealing for anyone who may of witnesses these stickers being placed around the city or anyone who has information that may assist our investigation to call the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 43190163238 or report online. “Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111.” 

Sounds serious, eh? Makes you wonder what sort of hateful, poisonous messages were on those stickers. It must be something pretty horrible, to prompt a police force to make an appeal like this, right? Maybe those stickers were inciting violence? Or perhaps they were encouraging people to otherwise break the law? 

Oddly, Thames Valley Police didn’t explain in that dramatic statement exactly what sort of vile and hateful messages are on those “offensive” stickers. Even more oddly, when I asked the force what those stickers say, a press officer told me “the content and appearance of the stickers is not suitable for sharing.” 

Quite how the poor people of Oxford are supposed to respond to this I don’t know: their police force have told them that a rash of offensive, apparently illegal stickers has appeared in the city and asked for information about who might be responsible.

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