Emily Thornberry has insulted Carnival-goers and Gooners alike
It’s backward to assume every Black person or anyone from any faith, ethnicity or background who has attended Notting Hill Carnival dabbles in cannabis, says Edward Adoo
As an Arsenal fan, I’d waited 22 years for a celebration like the parade which took place across Highbury, Finsbury Park and Islington on Sunday. We finally won the Premier League and had to mark the special moment. The parade brought the whole of North London and beyond together. Fellow Gooners and non-gooners travelled from different parts of London, across the UK and some from overseas to be part of the parade. It highlighted how special Arsenal is to many beyond the realms of football.
A tweet posted by local MP Emily Thornberry distorted the special moment for every Arsenal fan. In her tweet she made a comparison to Notting Hill Carnival suggesting the parade was like Carnival with less weed. Now as someone who was a frequent Carnival-goer for many years, I found that reference offensive. It suggests revellers who attend or have previously been to Notting Hill Carnival have either rolled a spliff or be associated with some form of cannabis or drug taking. It’s not just offensive to cross generational Carnival goers but also to the die hard Arsenal fans who simply wanted to be part of the action to celebrate the successes of their great team. Afro Caribbean Elders who fought long and hard for Carnival to be regarded as a place to celebrate the culture of those who struggled to be accepted in British society will be dismayed by her assumption. Many have cited her comments as silly, racist and out of order. It’s not the type of message to expect from a long-standing Labour politician who represents a diverse constituency in Islington.
I’ve never met Emily Thornberry. I’ve come across her work as a constituency MP and former minister on media rounds. She always seems to grasp the mood of any situation and not afraid to call people out for their mistakes. Firstly did she read the room on this occasion? No she didn’t. And was she misadvised? Who knows but would would she post something similar about her peers in Parliament? It feels as if she has never been to Notting Hill Carnival or of she has she was hanging with the wrong crowd. It’s backward to assume every Black person or anyone from any faith, ethnicity or background who has attended Notting Hill Carnival dabbles in cannabis. Over its 59 year tenure it has brought millions together to celebrate the cultures of Afro Caribbean culture. It also felt like an attack to Carnival which always gets muddled up in the news with calls for the location to be moved. Assuming or placing everyone in the same box is dangerous. An apology might not mend the error caused but I hope Emily Thornberry can draw back and recognise the hurt she had cause for the crass statement and reflect on what she’s done.
Edward Adoo is a writer and broadcaster