Sinn Féin off the hook as mystery of green postboxes in English town is solved

The person behind postboxes in an English town being painted green – which one local politician suggested could be the work of Sinn Féin activists – has come forward to put an end to the mystery.

he acts of anonymous vandalism had both bewildered and angered Huddersfield residents in equal measure but a person naming themselves the ‘Green Pimpernel’ has come forward to claim responsibility.

In recent weeks, everyone from local Green Party activists to Sinn Féin were put forward as possible assailants in the mystery, and Royal Mail had asked West Yorkshire Police to launch an investigation into numerous red postboxes being spray-painted green under the cover of darkness.

Now, in a random communique sent to YorkshireLive news website, the perpetrator has made their motives clear.

The Green Pimpernel said they had “taken on the task of identifying dilapidated postboxes within Kirklees that have not seen a lick of paint for years, which I have been returning to the original colour of green with a modern neon or turquoise twist. In its simplest form it is an artistic expression.”

A Conservative councillor, Bernard McGuin, who previously linked Sinn Féin or its supporters to the acts of vandalism in the wake of the party’s success in the Northern Ireland elections, has called on the Pimpernel to stop.

“On a serious note, this is costing Royal Mail money every time to repaint them. Whoever is doing this should realise that the council is not responsible for this and I would urge them to stop doing it,” he told Yorkshire Live.

“If they are making a point about the state of the roads, although I sympathise, this is not the right way to do things. People have just had a democratic vote and, even though I might not like the results, it is important to respect the wishes of the electorate.

“There have been a few ‘jokey’ comments about myself being responsible but I do not think upsetting the people living near these now multi-coloured monstrosities are laughing anymore. Enough is enough, whatever point this so-called Green Pimpernel is making is being lost.

“Another fear I have is that we are inspiring copycats to carry out more vandalism so I ask for vigilance from people and to report any suspicious activity near Royal Mail post boxes.”