An angry man had to be removed from an Asda supermarket by police in Plymouth after apparently becoming enraged by the shop’s garden gnomes painted in the gay pride rainbow flag colours.
When asked to leave by security guards, the man reportedly refused, and launched into a tirade about the ornaments.
A witness told the Plymouth Herald the man was “causing a disturbance over a gnome [in] sort of gay pride flag colours”.
The man was reportedly shouting at the staff and saying the colourful gnomes "offended him”, the witness said.
“The guy started saying random things like it’s a gnome, it’s offended him as they don’t have a sexuality.
“I’m assuming the guy was offended as they look like they have a gender, that’s the bit I caught of the situation,” they added.
It is thought the man had already bought the gnome and was returning it to the shop after becoming aware of the association between the colours of the gnome’s hat and the flag used by the LGBT+ movement.
Devon and Cormwall Police told the Independent: “Police were called at 4.25pm on Saturday 29 June to Asda, Estover, following reports of a man refusing to leave the store.
“It was reported that the man had been aggressive and loud towards others.
“Officers attended and spoke to the man who was cooperative and left the shop.”
Asda sells various products relating to the LGBT movement, and in 2017 launched a range which included the gnomes.
Asda said a member of staff called the police after a man was “highly aggressive” in the shop.
A spokesperson said: “We don’t accept threatening or abusive behaviour towards colleagues or customers.”
