Ukip mock 'insulting' mural linking Nigel Farage to Hitler

THE UK Independence Party have mocked an "insulting" mural linking party leader Nigel Farage to Adolf Hitler.

ukip mural nigel farage adolf hitlerFACEBOOK/POLITICS UK

This poster is placed outside St John's Church in Edinburgh

The controversial poster shows the question 'Evolution?' above a grinning Mr Farage, Nazi dictator Hitler, fascist leader Oswald Mosley and British National Party chief Nick Griffin.

It was plastered outside St John's Church in Edinburgh over the last week and has been blasted by David Coburn, Ukip MEP for Scotland, as "patronising".

"This is not going to do them any good, it is insulting all those Scottish voters," he said.

He added: "It is insulting to Nigel Farage [and] is possibly libellous.

"We [Ukip] have a sense of humour, but it's not that funny.

"It's rather insulting [and] beyond a wee bit of fun."

However, he maintained that the mural would not falter Ukip votes, and would in fact act as a "recruiting poster".

A Ukip spokesman has also spoke out about the mural, calling it "over the top" and "absurd".

He said: "We think it's sad that people are so frustrated with this apparent success of Ukip that they do things like that.

"People who vote for us know we are nothing like that, so we look at it and it saddens one, but no more than that. We don't do outrage in that way.

We [Ukip] have a sense of humour, but it's not that funny

David Coburn

"You look at it, you know its a joke, you know its inaccurate."

"If it makes people think anything it will make people think 'how ridiculously exaggerated and absurd'."

The poster has since been defended by former Church of Scotland minister Ewan Aitken, who told Evening News that the murals have always "pushed the boundaries".

“Whether or not you agree with the composition of the murals subjects, there are questions to be asked about a political party whose policies predicate change rather than celebrating differences," he said.

“I think the church needs to be speaking outside its walls and challenging people in unexpected ways, on unexpected subjects."

Facebook users soon took to the defence of Ukip after the mural was posted on a group page.

Martin Bodle simply called it a "disgrace", while Steveo Bod said it is "such an offensive poster".

Another user, under the name Jenny Blue, posted: "Completely disagree...shows such ignorance and lack of any understanding of what UKIP is about."

Rector of St Johns Church, Markus Duenzkof last night defended the mural, which was painted by artist Mike Greenlaw as part of the Artists for Peace and Justice project.

He said: "The mural is not trying to say that UKIP voters are facists, but it is probably very provocative.

"There has been a history of these murals trying to open sometime passionate debate, to get dialogue going.

"It's almost like a tweet, and hopefully the conversation goes to more than just 140 characters.

"That what the murals' tradition has been and that particular mural continues in that vein."

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