Smokers asked to discard cigarette butts in 'Harry and Meghan: will it last?' dustbin
A cigarette rubbish bin is creating some unexpected controversy because it asks smokers to vote with their cigarette butts on the future of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s marriage.
“Harry and Meghan: will it last?” reads the bin, with cigarette disposal options marked with “Forever!” and “No way.”
While the bin is part of a U.K. initiative to encourage smokers to dispose of their cigarette butts via a “vote with your butt” ballot bin, this particular bin — found in Southend on Sea, Essex — has really rubbed people the wrong way.
Saw this today, really distasteful @southendbid 😒👎🏼 pic.twitter.com/DJzgd5Mw8w
— Meghan Maven (@MeghanMaven) June 24, 2018
The bin photo began circulating on Twitter when a Meghan Markle fan account, @meghanmaven, posted an image of the bin with the caption: “Saw this today, really distasteful.”
Sabrina Anderson, who runs @meghanmaven as well as a website of the same name, tells Yahoo Lifestyle she was disheartened by what she calls a “hostile” message.
“I randomly came across the ballot bin walking around an area I had never been to before,” she says. “I stopped dead in my tracks and thought, ‘Really?’ It seems rather unnecessary and hostile to use Harry and Meghan’s names for this.”
Many people agree.
Wow seriously, there are some really sick ignorant people who obviously got nothing better to do but wish bad things for this couple that they don’t even know personally and don’t want to them to be happy. Shame and truly disgusting🙄
— Jasmine Harrison (@JasmineJay92) June 24, 2018
Why would someone do something like this, more so in public? It’s just distasteful
— Beckie0995 (@bmususwa) June 24, 2018
It is very distasteful
— Olicity Arrow Fan / Jaspenor The Royals Fan (@MRANDMRSQUEEN) June 24, 2018
The Southend Business Improvement District official Twitter account responded to the backlash by posting: “It is intended to be a bit of fun and to entice people to dispose of their cigarettes instead of throwing on the floor.”
It is intended to be a bit of fun and to entice people to dispose of their cigarettes instead of throwing on the floor.
— Southend BID (@southendbid) June 25, 2018
“Although I do understand and appreciate it’s for a good cause, the wording and question should have been different,” Anderson says.
She adds: “It’s in poor taste and I hope it doesn’t stay there for long.”
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