London: In an unprecedented move, Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel have been banned from wearing uniforms in public after several of them were abused by people who opposed UK's military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The order was issued to British servicemen and women at an air base in Cambridgeshire following a review of incidents of abuse of air force personnel in the streets over seven months. Squadron leader Tony Walsh, a spokesman at the base, said a number of personnel who lived in the city and its outskirts had suffered abuse when wearing their uniforms off-duty.
The backlash had come from a "cross-section" of the community, he added. Defence Secretary Des Browne said he hoped the uniform ban would soon be lifted. "We must defend our Forces right to wear their uniforms in public. It is a great shame that some individuals in this community don't respect our Forces, who are daily doing a great deal for this nation. This is not a situation we should tolerate, he said.
He hoped that service personnel at RAF Wittering will soon be able to wear their uniforms freely about the town with the support of the local people. Chief of Air Staff Sir Glenn Torpy said: "Whatever people s views are about specific military operations, everyone should be able to recognise the bravery and professionalism of our Armed Forces and respect the difficult job they do."
Liam Fox, the Conservative shadow defence secretary, said the public would be appalled to hear that "there are no-go areas for our Armed Forces, even in their own country."
