- The highest honor in Britain, personally bestowed on recipients by the Queen of England, has come under fire over accusations of racism and resemblance to the killing of George Floyd.
- The award’s badge has a traditional Christian image of the angel St. Michael victoriously standing on Satan with the motto: Auspicium melioris ævi, which is Latin for “Omen of a better age.”
- A Change.org petition says the image is “highly offensive” and “reminiscent of the recent murder of George Floyd by the white policeman in the same manner presented here in this medal.”
The highest honor in Britain, personally bestowed on recipients by the Queen of England, has come under fire over accusations of racism and resemblance to the killing of George Floyd.
The Queen of England traditionally bestows the Order of St. Michael and St. George on ambassadors, diplomats, or senior foreign officials, The Guardian reports. The award’s badge has a traditional Christian image of the angel St. Michael victoriously standing on Satan with the motto: Auspicium melioris ævi, which is Latin for “Omen of a better age.”
King George III founded the order in 1818 to honor those who served in the Mediterranean during the Napoleonic wars, the publication reports. (RELATED: ‘Tear Them Down’: Shaun King Demands ‘White European’ Jesus Statues Be Removed)
But a Change.org petition is now calling for the image to be removed following the death of Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes, video of the incident showed. Derek Chauvin, the officer, has been fired and arrested on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges.
Those who created the “Change the racist image on the KCMG medal” petition say the image reminds them of Floyd’s killing.
“The image on the Honorary Knights/Dames Commander (KCMG/DCMG) star is a white skinned angel stood on the head/neck of a black skinned devil,” the petition says. “This is a highly offensive image, it is also reminiscent of the recent murder of George Floyd by the white policeman in the same manner presented here in this medal.”
“We the undersigned are calling for this medal to completely redesigned in a more appropriate way and for an official apology to be given for the offense it has given,” the petition says. At least 2,895 people had signed the petition as of 6 pm Monday.
The call to remove the image has resonated with some, such as Nigerian British singer Bumi Thomas, who calls the image a “depiction on a supposed honor of the subjugation of the black and brown people of the world and the superiority of the white, a construct born in the 16th century.”
“It is not a demon; it is a black man in chains with a white, blue-eyed figure standing on his neck,” Nigerian British singer Bumi Thomas told The Guardian. “It is literally what happened to George Floyd and what has been happening to black people for centuries under the guise of diplomatic missions: active, subliminal messaging that reinforces the conquest, subjugation and dehumanization of people of color.”
Sir Simon Woolley, director and founder of Operation Black Vote, told the publication that he finds the image appalling. (RELATED: Protesters Chant ‘F*** That Statue’ After They Tear Down Jefferson Davis Statue)
“The original image may have been of St Michael slaying Satan, but the figure has no horns or tail and is clearly a black man,” Woolley said. “It is a shocking depiction, and it is even more shocking that that image could be presented to ambassadors representing this country abroad.”
Others heralded the backlash over a religious image as a sign of an attack on Christianity.
“Christianity is under attack,” Human Events editor Ian Miles Cheong tweeted Monday. “Beyond Shaun King’s calls to tear down “racist statues” of Jesus and smash the stained glass, here’s The Guardian calling for a removal of an “offensive” image of St. Michael standing atop the Devil himself.”
Christianity is under attack. Beyond Shaun King’s calls to tear down “racist statues” of Jesus and smash the stained glass, here’s The Guardian calling for a removal of an “offensive” image of St. Michael standing atop the Devil himself. pic.twitter.com/C78LQMMuAy
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 22, 2020
“Moving on to actual iconoclasm,” tweeted the National Review’s Michael Brendan Doughtery. “More than a millenium of St. Michael imagery suddenly offensive.”
Moving on to actual iconoclasm. More than a millenium of St. Michael imagery suddenly offensive. https://t.co/G4MW07U2AZ
— Michael Brendan Dougherty (@michaelbd) June 22, 2020
News of the backlash against the award comes as protestors call for United States monuments to historic figures to be removed or replaced. In many cases, rioters have torn these monuments down.
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