EU Referendum: Brexit boat on Shropshire roadside targeted by vandals in attack
A sinking ship set up as part of the Vote Leave campaign has been covered in graffiti by vandals.
The man behind the Brexit boat, David Sykes-Waller, said the ship on the side of the A458 Cressage straight was vandalised some time on Friday night.
The boat sits in a field adjoining the road between Shrewsbury and Much Wenlock and was launched by MP Daniel Kawczynski and MEP Jill Seymour earlier this month.
The move was aimed to encourage people to vote to leave in the upcoming EU referendum.
But the vessel came under fire and officials from Shropshire Council were ordered to investigate after complaints that it was a tasteless reference to migrants.
Brexit campaigners said the image referred solely to the state of the EU and its connection to the UK.
Mr Sykes-Waller, of Cound Hall, said he was appalled by the vandalism, which he said left the boat covered in graffiti. He said: "This is a disgraceful act of vandalism.
"This boat was not intended to cause offence to anyone – it is merely a case of exercising a democratic right to express an opinion, and to support the Brexit campaign by highlighting what I feel is the morally bankrupt nature of the European Union."
The boat was launched on June 10 and is branded with the message "Vote Leave – 78 million boarding soon". Community group Fresh approached Shropshire Council with complaints about the boat, claiming it displays a "lack of care".
While the ship is being investigated by the council it is not expected to be immediately removed.
Operations manager for planning services at Shropshire Council Ian Kilby said it is expected to be removed shortly after the referendum.
Campaigning ahead of the referendum on whether to leave the European Union resumed yesterday, after a three-day pause following the murder of British MP Jo Cox.
The 41-year-old Labour MP was killed in Birstall on Thursday when she was shot and stabbed in the street outside a constituency surgery. The UK referendum will take place on Thursday when more than 63 million people can have their say on whether to leave the European Union or remain a part of it.
