A JEWELLER is reviewing its policy after it told a customer it wouldn’t engrave “Free Palestine” on a charm for a bracelet because it could be "offensive".
Joy Drummond, from Glasgow, told The National she ordered a butterfly charm along with an engraving of “Free Palestine” for a Nomination bracelet for herself and her sister as a Palestinian flag charm was not available.
Drummond ordered the two charms with the custom message from John Greed Jewellery as she wanted to show her solidarity with the people of Palestine.
The 62-year-old retired nurse told The National she was “absolutely disgusted” and “horrified” to receive a message from the jeweller's customer service stating they would not carry out the engraving.
They told Drummond they could not “engrave anything that can be construed as inappropriate, offensive, or derogative”.
In an email seen by The National, the firm said it was “sorry” but could not engrave the message Drummond wanted and asked if there was an alternative she would like engraved instead.
“I don’t understand what is offensive about ‘Free Palestine’,” Drummond said.
“I felt absolutely disgusted and horrified but also confused because I still don't understand what’s offensive.”
Drummond explained that she has bought multiple charms from John Greed Jewellery before with various engravings and has never had any issues with them.
She said that due to her and her sister suffering from health conditions, they can not “go out raising their voices” and wanted something to show that they are “against the ongoing genocide” in Gaza.
“It was just a way of demonstrating for my sister and I that we're not complicit and we're not sitting silent,” Drummond said.
"It's just a wee symbol of what these poor people are going through.”
Drummond said what she found “particularly upsetting” was the email from customer service on Monday, Holocaust Remembrance Day.
She said: “The Holocaust was terrible. We remember it and say never again, and that should mean never again for anything.
“It's the principle. It's not about some daft charm on a bracelet, it's the principle about censorship.”
A spokesperson for John Greed Jewellery said that “in light of the points raised” by Drummond the firm will be reviewing its policy.
It added that Drummond’s complaint regarding the refusal to engrave the “Free Palestine” message was considered a “matter of importance” and has been “escalated to the directors to assess”.
Drummond said John Greed Jewellery has now refunded her and have offered to honour the whole order, including the engraving of “Free Palestine”, free of charge.
