Former Worthing mayor apologises for sharing Facebook post

Former Conservative councillor Tom Wye is a well known figure in the town having taken a stand on the NCP parking contract as well as his work supporting veterans and the town’s remembrance celebrations.

Earlier this month he shared a Facebook post from another user described as a ‘thought provoking passage written by an Englishman about the current situation in HIS homeland – this is thought provoking and is equally relevant in any other (once) white country’.

It asks why ‘is it that only whites can be racists’ and goes on to say that ‘we have lost most of our rights in this country’ because ‘we won’t stand up for ourselves’ and ‘being proud to be white is ‘not a crime’, but ‘it’s getting close’.

The post continues: “You can fly your flag and it’s called diversity. You celebrate your cultures and it’s called multiculturalism.

“You rob us, carjack us, and rape our daughters. But, when a white police officer arrests a black gang member or beats up an Asian drug dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist. I am proud.... but you call me a racist.”

The post comes amidst a number of Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis last month.

After being contacted by the Herald, Mr Wye deleted the post.

He said: “I do regret some of the words that I copied and have now removed it. I apologise to anyone who was offended. That said, I am not a racist and I do not live in an institutionalised racist country.

“Others may disagree, that is their right, we live in a free tolerant country and are permitted to have different opinions. I have no problem with the Black Lives Matter movement but I would include myself in an All Lives Matter grouping.”