Policeman Sued His Force Over Epic Beard

Posted by Alex in Crime & Law, Fashion on March 10, 2009 at 1:13 am


Police officer Javid Iqbal, 38, of Bedforshire, England, doesn’t just have any beard. No sir – he has what can truly called an "epic beard."

Daily Mail (yes, I know how you guys feel about this newspaper, but they always come up with the most interesting stories …) has more on Javid’s travail and lawsuit involving said epic beard:

A Muslim police officer claims he was forced out of his job by colleagues who made fun of his beard and called him a ‘f***ing Paki’.

PC Javid Iqbal, 38, said white officers openly discussed in front of him how they were ‘ better’ than their ethnic-minority colleagues. [...]

Mr Iqbal says he was sacked after fellow-officers in Luton launched a ’smear and witch-hunt campaign’ during which they lodged a string of complaints about his performance.

He is taking the Bedfordshire force to an employment tribunal claiming he is the victim of racial and religious discrimination and unfair dismissal.

Link – via reddit


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17 comments to "Policeman Sued His Force Over Epic Beard"

  1. Miranda Vink
    March 10th, 2009 at 3:34 am

    Just typical. If the same thing had happened to a Scottish vegatarian greek orthodox christian policeman with the same silly beard most people would recognize that this guy would never fit in with his co-workers. If you stand out like that, you'll get a few jokes. But because he's a Pakistani muslim his co-workers are at fault because they're racists and anti-muslim bigots.

  2. Robolasse
    March 10th, 2009 at 3:38 am

    Miranda >> When not even fellow police officers respect the police uniform, why should anyone else?

  3. Polx
    March 10th, 2009 at 5:28 am

    As soon as I read "Daily Mail" I set perceptions to LIES.

    They are notorious for not fact checking,especially if it dovetails with their world view.

    Then I read that the Police were calling a Pakistani fellow officer a "Fucking P*aki", and I thought....no that actually does sound like most coppers I've met.

    It's a terrible thing when the rozzers manage to live down to your expectations.

    It is a recorded fact that police from any ethnic minority are many times more likely to be brought up on disciplinary/performance related issues than the white/anglo counterparts.

    Racist? "The Filth"?....no, say it ain't so!

  4. Doug Dorn
    March 10th, 2009 at 5:49 am

    I know firemen can't have beards because of the oxygen masks they need to use.

    How can a cop gas a peaceful demonstration, or an unarmed old lady if they have that big beard. It just makes sense that the other cops wouldn't approve.

    Hell, some handcuffed kid might be able to grab that beard while you are shooting him in the back.

    I really think the cops have a point here.

  5. Azuro
    March 10th, 2009 at 7:38 am

    he should expect to be mocked, it looks silly. he's living in the real world after all.. if it was my religion to wear a giant plastic penis on my head whould i expect not to be mocked?
    i think this story has been fabricated anyway, but of course there are racists out there so who knows.

  6. Prakesh
    March 10th, 2009 at 9:50 am

    The operative question here is, "Is he really a ‘f***ing Paki’"?

  7. Frau
    March 10th, 2009 at 10:03 am

    It's the beard's fault. It looks comical.
    It would be difficult for me to take someone with that, seriously.

  8. Gail Pink
    March 10th, 2009 at 11:09 am

    Worst. Beard. Ever.

  9. Johnny Cat
    March 10th, 2009 at 11:55 am

    I'd be making jokes, too. Not racist or hurtful, more along the lines of jug-band and moonshine jokes.

  10. Mr. Binky
    March 10th, 2009 at 3:03 pm

    That beard seriously looks shopped.

  11. Largefromage
    March 10th, 2009 at 3:16 pm

    Turn his head upside down and he could have a great career guarding Buckingham Palace.

  12. Rick Brown
    March 10th, 2009 at 4:05 pm

    I'm just curious about that early 1970's LED watch he's wearing in the pic...shopped and poorly, I might add...me doth thinks so...

  13. Brim
    March 10th, 2009 at 5:10 pm

    That beard is hilarious. It looks like a black ferret is sleeping on his jaw, or a nest of social weaver birds.

    The trouble with the whole thing is that if a muslim gets sacked even for a good reason, he can always cry out that it was because of racism or islamophobia. They know that those two words make us westies humble and apologetic. The "racist-card" always works: no one wants to question it or doubt it, because they fear that they would be accused of racism.

  14. Frau
    March 10th, 2009 at 6:09 pm

    @ Rick Brown - that LED watch looks like he won it in one of the Tokyo Flash Treasure Hunts here.

  15. DOJ
    March 10th, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    Hey, it's Wooly Willy!

  16. Mouserz
    March 11th, 2009 at 9:22 am

    If I were him, I would start a religion based on that magnificent beard of his.

  17. Rick Brown
    March 15th, 2009 at 4:47 pm

    Yes Frau, that could be very well possible but I still prefer watches that tell time instead of mental gymnastics to impress drunker people at the bar. Besides, the crop below the chin is too high up on the lip. Man creatures abhorr it that close and it catches all weird sort of food debris..not really impressing the date that much...


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