Debenhams v Iestyn ap Rhobert
It's one thing painting slogans, but it appears that Cymdeithas yr Iaith have change tactict this time: English only new Debenhams development sign at Carmarthen removed by Cymdeithas yr Iaith.
The court case Debenhams v Iestyn ap Rhobert will take place on 30th of August
In June Iestyn ap Rhobert of Llangadog was arrested and accused of criminal damage for taking down a large English only sign that marked the location of Debenhams new development in the town of Carmarthen.
posted by Rhys Wynne at 9:27 am
11 Comments:
Being charged for 'Criminal Damage'? Good grief - what are the police in Carmarthen thinking of?
Are there no real criminals for them to pursue? Cos if so I'm definitely moving West (& learning Welsh).
Or is the Carmarthen judiciary inhabited by anti-Welshspeakers? & will they be able to find a Welshspeaking judge for his case? (Remembering the local radio incident!)
Or is it yet again a case of overreaction by an insensitive & humourless big company?
On the one hand the police don't want to arrest protestors as it's more paperwork and CYIG enjoy the publicity that courtcases generate, but on the otherhand the police would be criticised if people were allowed to demolish property and they did nothing.
The big shame in all of this is that young people have to go to court to highlight something so basic as large companies disrespecting local communities.
But you'r right, I'm sure there's better things for the police to be doing.
I live in a predominantly English speaking area and a few years ago a lot of local emergency traffic signs were being completely sprayed over and marked with a tafod. It drove me mad as it was such a dangerous and selfish way to make a point.
This comes to mind reading this post as I noticed at this year's Eisteddfod one cark park's traffic direction signs were in Welsh only and it made me think about this kind of activity and I wondered why in some circumstances it is ok to have one language only signage but not in others.
I wondered why in some circumstances it is ok to have one language only signage but not in others.
I can't tell you why that one sign was in Welsh only, all the temp signs I saw were either bilingual or in Engish only. I think they should all be bilingual. Of course there will be a few missed ones (in both languages), although i'd have though it would become second nature for sign writers/people who commision the work these days to consider dual language.
Yes, fair point, they were probably old signs and the eisteddfod probably found it hard to find enough in the first place.
Considering the people pulling the sign down are so easily identifiable I don't see what other option the police have, I am sure CYI wouldn't have expected any less either.
Personally I would prefer to see CYI campaigning for free Welsh lessons for all Welsh residents but I have pretty much given up on that ever happening.
Whoever put the signs up had a field day, you couldn't turn without seening a yellow AA sign pointing at something.
Free lessons are something that should be campaigned for certainly. CYIG have provided free (or nearly free) courses in the past - that's how my girfriend started learning. A lot of workplaces offer free courses (mainly public sector I admit), students at universities can have free courses and the WEA offer free courses for parents in the south east.
In Catalonia, Catalan for Adults courses are free for the first year or two, and then there'sa charge for higher levels - this is something I'd like to see copied here in Wales.
From my experience a lot of parents send there kids to Welsh medium schools as they like their kids to be fluent in Welsh, but don't learn Welsh themselves. These people are likely to taek up learing Welsh when they retire when the have more time/ disposable income. Sadly their children don't have the chance to be brought up in a Welsh speaking household, which they could have had if parent learnt Welsh eariler in life. I'm not blaming the parents here as it's hard enough juggling raising kids and work as it is without learning a language on top - but maybe more would do it at that stage if they idn't have to pay or if they were given time off work to do it.
Saw this earlier and thought of our discussion.
;)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/4794753.stm
I don't see how CYIG can campaign for any of the things it does without campaiging for the right of all Welsh residents to have the right to attend Welsh language lessons without having to pay for them.
But yes, their Wlpan classes are great and I agree with your last comment.
:)
That's a worthy addition to the Scymraeg collection.
Cymdeithas recently reported that "Iestyn ap Rhobert (27 from Llangadog) received a fine of £200 at Carmarthen Magistrates Court today, but he was not forced to pay compensation to the private company representing Debenhams."
Which is good.
Iestyn was stewarding at the Gwyl Macs, you could have met him there!
"The big shame in all of this is that young people have to go to court to highlight something so basic as large companies disrespecting local communities."
Young people? One is a balding rugby lout and I'm pretty sure the other one is Shaggy from scooby doo. They should no better. What's the matter lads? No old ladies to mug that day? Get a job.
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