A 50-foot advertisement for the latest movie adaptation of “The Grinch” has Londoners seeing more red than green.
‘Welcome to South London
This is your last chance to turn around’Nope. Not finding this funny @BFI Imax Waterloo – snobbery of South London is based on classist and racist stereotypes.
Genuinely tried hard not to be a Grinch about this but too much #SouthLondonPride pic.twitter.com/v52HmKZc23
— James Asfa (@JamesAsfa) November 10, 2018
National Review reports that the billboard, which marks a bridge between north and south London, is being derided as “racist” and “classist” because it warns bridge travelers about traveling into south London, a generally poorer, more diverse part of the city.
On the side of the bridge leading into south London, the giant ad, which features the Grinch himself making an angry face, reads “Welcome to South London. This is your last chance to turn around.” On the other side, the same Grinch sarcastically comments, “You are now heading north of the river. Try to contain your excitement.”
Both sides of the billboard are meant to poke fun at the neighborhood just ahead. The side heading into south London is a bit more upfront in its insult, but the side heading into north London isn’t meant to be a celebration of north London’s apparent superiority. – READ MORE