Katie Hopkins ridiculed for angry Tweet bemoaning FAKE 'Arabic' Bradford street sign

Controversial columnist Katie Hopkins' has been ridiculed after becoming angry at a FAKE street sign with Arabic translations that actually translates to 'peace be upon you'.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th May 2016, 10:50 BST
Updated 20th May 2016, 12:56 BST
Katie Hopkins. Image: Ross Parry AgencyKatie Hopkins. Image: Ross Parry Agency
Katie Hopkins. Image: Ross Parry Agency

The angry broadcaster posted a picture to her 641,000 followers on Twitter that showed a street sign to places like Shipley and Keighley in Yorkshire with Arabic writing underneath each direction.

An apparently outraged Hopkins commented with frustration underneath the image and said: "Give me strength. Stick up a chuffing sign for English Language School."

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But many have been quick to point out that the picture was simply a work of computer trickery and that the real sign in Eccleshill, Bradford, had no such translation.

Some accused her of encouraging intolerance and division while others have simply ignored her incorrect rantings.

Director of racial justice organisation Just West Yorkshire, Ratna Lachman called Hopkins' rhetoric "all frills and no substance".

She said: "Katie does not appear to be well-informed as a broadcaster, but then facts were never her strong suit.

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"If Katie knows anything about the Conservative government's police, she will know that funding for English language classes has been drastically cut.

"So even if we were to take the doctored street sign at its face value, the truth is the street direction is really pointing nowhere - rather like much of Hopkins populist rhetoric which is all frills and no substance."

In Bradford, the reaction was one of bemusement.

Liberal Democrat councillor Nicola Pollard called her comments "nonsense".

She said: "It is absolute nonsense and Katie Hopkins is just trying to create controversy.

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"I'm pleased to see the people of Bradford have got more sense than that."

The fake photograph appears to have originated from a website which has published a spoof news story claiming the signs were being installed by Bradford Council thanks to funding from the European Union.

Bradford Council took to Twitter to point out there was no truth in the report and councillor Alex Ross Shaw, executive member for transport, said: "This is obviously a complete nonsense. It is a spoof story."

Ms Hopkins has not yet responded to requests for a comment and has not removed the image from her Twitter feed.

Related topics:BradfordBradford CouncilTwitter