British Army Faces Racism Claims Over 'Blackface' Tweet

It claimed soldiers required 'a robust sense of humour'.

The British Army has been accused of racism after posting a picture of a soldier which a number of people complained appeared to reference blackface.

The tweet, sent out by the Army’s official Twitter account, claimed that being a solider in the jungle “requires a robust sense of humour” and featured a picture of an officer wearing black camouflage face paint.

A screenshot of the tweet sent out by the British Army's official social media account which has since been deleted
A screenshot of the tweet sent out by the British Army's official social media account which has since been deleted

The tweet has since been deleted.

But not before a number of Twitter users criticised it.

.@BritishArmy Blackface, light jacket = ineffective camouflage. Unless you're trying to pass unnoticed among a cabal of, say, armed racists.

— RTJ (@rtjpoet) October 19, 2016

@Michael_Jacksyn @crimesofbrits @BritishArmy its deliberate blackface and the use of "robust" tries to frame this as some lad banter

— rosie ☭ (@Rosie_McNiff) October 19, 2016

What is the joke that the British Army account was going for? That blackface is funny? Is that seriously it?

— Clee (@jmsclee) October 19, 2016

I didn't know blackface was a robust sense of humour hmm 🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/AaoDji4wTh

— jamie (@jmbryn) October 19, 2016

Nice of the British Army to give me a quick reminder some people don't understand how blackface is offensive. Just before Halloween too.

— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) October 19, 2016

@El_Mufro @BritishArmy the blackface combined with the "sense of humour" line, it all comes off as pretty racist

— (((Grace Petrie))) (@gracepetrie) October 19, 2016

An Army spokesperson said: “The content of the Tweet shows a picture of a soldier wearing camouflage and concealment measures, standard for jungle training in Belize.

“We can see how the Tweet may have been misinterpreted, have immediately removed it and apologise for any offence it may have caused.”

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