Golliwog race row landlady defies police to put dolls back on display
A pub landlady has defied authorities and put more Golliwogs on display days after police seized 20 of them as part of an investigation[1] into a hate crime. Benice Ryley runs The White Hart Inn, in Grays, Essex, where they have long displayed a collection of the dolls - claiming they had been gifts from customers over the years. Golliwog dolls have long been accepted as deeply offensive to Black communities.
Images from the pub show some of the dolls being hung by their necks from the top of the bar. On April 4, five officers arrived at the pub following reports of a hate crime at the property and took away 20 of the dolls that were displayed behind the bar.
Racism warning as data shows one in three people from ethnic minorities have faced abuse[2]
The Golliwogs were displayed hanging from their necks at the White Hart pub in Essex (Eastnews Press Agency)
Ms Ryley has run the pub for the last 17 years with her husband Chris and claims to "pride ourselves on welcoming everybody". However, she has since said she owns more Golliwogs and has placed some of the ones that weren't confiscated onto the shelves.
She also put a sign on the door of the pub saying: "We have golly dolls displayed inside on our shelves. If you feel offended. Please do not enter."
Ms Rylely told the MailOnline[3] : "The whole thing is ridiculous. Its political correctness gone out of control.
This is the moment police seize the dolls (Benice Ryley / SWNS)
"I'm not going to let the authorities intimidate me and I'm proudly putting my other gollis back on display in the pub. "I'm still shocked that six officers came to my pub last week, surrounded me and took away my collection of golliwogs.
"I've not committed any crime and haven't set out to offend anyone. These gollis are a part of the pub, the customers love them, and they are reminder of our childhood."
The dolls in the pub before they were seized (Benice Ryley / SWNS)
The raid reportedly came under scrutiny by the Home Secretary who was said to have made her views to Essex Police that "forces should not be getting involved in this kind of nonsense." Yesterday, Essex Police said it was "categorically untrue" that they had been contacted by Suella Braverman's office.
A spokesperson added that they "maintain operational independence from the Home Office".
Chris Ryley and his wife Benice have run the pub for 17 years (Eastnews Press Agency)
She said that her husband was in Turkey at the time police told her that they would like to question him about a "hate crime" when he returns in May. The raid comes after the couple refused to remove the dolls after the local authority received a complaint in 2018. A spokesperson for Essex Police[4] said: "We are investigating an allegation of a hate crime in Grays.
The couple claim the dolls were given as gifts throughout the years (Eastnews Press Agency)
"The report was made to us on 24 February after a member of the public reported being distressed after attending a venue off Argent Street.
"The investigation is being carried out under Section 4(a) of the Public Order Act 1986 and Section 31 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. "We have regularly discussed the progression of this case with the Crown Prosecution Service and on Tuesday 4 April, five officers visited a location off Argent Street, Grays, and seized several items in connection with that investigation. "No one has been arrested or charged in connection with the investigation and our enquiries are ongoing.
"The force is proud of the work we do to prevent crime, tackle offenders and build trust and confidence in all our communities. "We are aware some elements of the media have reported that Essex Police has been contacted directly by the Home Secretary in relation to this investigation. "At the time of writing, this is categorically not true.
As a result, we would ask all media reporting this to amend their news reports immediately.
"In addition, as is the case in all investigations across every police force, we maintain operational independence from the Home Office which ensures that every investigation is carried out without fear or favour."