Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

UK Shooting Range Faces Backlash For Using Muslim Teen's Photo As Target Practice

UK Shooting Range Faces Backlash For Using Muslim Teen's Photo As Target Practice
BBC News/YouTube // @angelaeagle (Twitter)

Target practice just got messy.


A shooting range in the English county of Merseyside has come under fire (pun very much intended) after it emerged that staff had been using images of Shamima Begum, a Muslim teenager who left the United Kingdom to join the Islamic State, as a target.

Speaking to the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire program, Wallasey's Ultimate Airsoft Range said that the range was intended "for people to learn the importance and safety of handling weapons, while having fun".

"Our targets provide some fantastic reactions and conversations... bringing out the inner child in all," a spokesperson said.

The image below shows a target of Begum that's been riddled with bullet holes.

The shooting range had earlier posted an image of the target to Twitter, describing it as "hot off the press." The tweet also included the hashtags #NoRemorse and #MadeYourChoice.

Now it's facing some rather heated criticism.

Its website also shows other targets, including U.S. President Donald Trump and former English Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.


The story evidently sparked an outrage on social media with critics saying that the image "encourages violent attitudes towards those who you harbour prejudices against."




Labor MP Angela Eagle agreed that the shooting range should "stop" using the targets.

Shamima Begum left the U.K. four years ago at the age of 15 to join the Islamic State. A Times journalist tracked Begum, now 19, earlier this month, and found her living in a Syrian refugee camp, soon to give birth. On February 16, she gave birth to a boy.

Begum has said she would like to return home to her parents and has asked for forgiveness, but her impending return has sparked a debate in Britain about the handling of returning jihadists.

In response to her statements, Security Minister Ben Wallace said:

"I'm not putting at risk British people's lives to go and look for terrorists or former terrorists in a failed state."

The U.K. has stripped Begum of her citizenship. Her family announced they intend to challenge Home Secretary Sajid Javid's decision. British law does not allow an individual to remain stateless and Begum has the right to an appeal.

She says she is considering applying for Dutch citizenship.

Shamima Begum: IS teenager to lose UK citizenship - BBC Newswww.youtube.com

More from

Harriet Tubman
Library of Congress/Getty Images

National Parks Website Restores Harriet Tubman Photo To 'Underground Railroad' Page After Backlash

Following significant backlash, the National Park Service restored a previously-erased photo of Harriet Tubman from a webpage dedicated to the history of the Underground Railroad, in which she led 13 missions to rescue enslaved people.

A spokesperson said the changes were not authorized by the agency's leadership.

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshot from Fox News of Jackie DeAngelis and Tommy Tuberville
Fox News

Tuberville Now Claims 'Entire Men's Teams' Are 'Turning Trans' To Play Against Women

Alabama Republican Senator Tommy "Coach" Tuberville appeared on Fox News Sunday to again spread unhinged misinformation about transgender athletes.

Speaking with guest host Jackie DeAngelis, Tuberville stated:

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot from Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver/YouTube

John Oliver Epically Calls Out Awkward Truth Behind Former NCAA Swimmer's Anti-Trans Tirades

On Sunday's episode of Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, the outspoken host devoted the entire program to the attack on trans girls and women who play sports by the GOP.

Oliver began the program saying:

Keep ReadingShow less
man in front of computer code
Chris Yang on Unsplash

Conspiracy Theories That Seem Believable The More You Look Into Them

We tend to think of conspiracy theories as a phenomenon of the digital age. But the internet and mobile devices only allow them to be created and spread faster.

Conspiracy theories have likely been around as long as human civilization has. They are, at their root, just another form of rumors and gossip.

Keep ReadingShow less
People protesting, one protestor holding a sign that reads, 'Enough'
Photo by Liam Edwards on Unsplash

People Explain The Pettiest Reasons They Boycott A Specific Brand

No matter how many complaints we file or phone calls we make, some businesses refuse to catch a hint about their bad practices until we hit it where it hurts the most: their bottom line.

While some people will give a business every possible chance before refusing to be a customer anymore, others will boycott over the most petty reasons in existence.

Keep ReadingShow less