Harrod's Gives a Soldier the Ultimate Slap

This is an egregious insult brought to you by Harrod's, English mega-store owned by Mohamed Al Fayed, Egyptian businessman, and oft-rejected British citizenship applicant. Note the insult occurred on Remembrance Day, the British equivalent of Veteran's Day.

Harrods bans soldiers on Poppy Day

A serving Army officer was banned from entering Harrods on Remembrance Day in case his uniform upset other shoppers.

Lieutenant Daniel Lenherr had just taken part in a parade honouring Britain's war dead when the London department store turned him away at the door.

The security guard told him other customers might be intimidated by the uniform.

The 26-year-old soldier, who serves in the 1st regiment of the Royal Horse Artillery, had been at commemorations in Hyde Park Corner last weekend when he decided to visit the shop with his wife Michelle and their one-year-old son.

Mrs Lenherr, who lives in Tidworth, Hampshire, said: "We were horrified when we were refused entry on a day when we honoured the men who sacrificed so much for our freedom. I find it sad this can happen."

The store has stood by their dress policy, saying: "There is a long-standing tradition at Harrods that would normally preclude customers who are wearing non-civilian attire from entering the store.

"A lot of people assume that somebody in uniform is either there on official duty, which could cause them alarm, or they assume they're a member of staff and ask them where the lavatories are and so on."

But the shop came under fire for its ban.

Shadow Defence Minister Mark Harper said: "It's an outrageous slap in the face to our Armed Forces who are serving our country around the world. On Remembrance Sunday it's even more of an insult. I cannot see any legitimate reason for a shop not to let in members of the Armed Forces in uniform."

{"...or they assume they're a member of staff and ask them where the lavatories are..."

Digest those words. Let them simmer. And do whatever you can to make Harrods pay for this direct attack on the military, and on those who gave their lives in defense of Great Britain. - ed.}

And Thomas Carter MBE, a former Warrant Officer in the Royal Horse Artillery, said Mr Lenherr had been treated disgracefully.

The 78-year-old said: "Harrods' policy is a load of rubbish. It treats members of the Armed Forces as sixth-rate citizens. It definitely makes it worse that it was on Remembrance Sunday, as that's the day everybody wears uniform."

Rival department stores Selfridges and Harvey Nichols said they had no problem with service personnel entering their stores in uniform.

Wow, the British asshats have set the bar pretty high. Is Mama Sheehan about? Our asshat honour is at stake.