Poppy Rage Appears to Lose Its Poisonous Edge
According to the British Legion and the Imperial War Museum, no one should be compelled to wear the poppy, a symbol that has sparked heated debate in recent years.
Laura Clouting, curator for the First World War at the Imperial War Museum in London, notes that public attitudes toward the poppy have evolved over time.
“It has now come to symbolise the sacrifice and effort of the armed forces in more recent conflicts,” says Clouting. “But because these more recent conflicts have become more complex and perhaps morally ambiguous, the poppy has become a more contentious symbol.”
Clouting explains that the red poppy, in contrast to the white one representing peace, has been appropriated by far-right groups. Those who reject it often associate the symbol with the British army’s actions, particularly in Northern Ireland.
Growing up in Northern Ireland, the author recalls how, during the 1960s and 1970s, children played with remnants of war—steel helmets, ammunition clips, and old water flasks—found in their homes. These items were intimate, tangible links to relatives who fought and died in both world wars.
On the streets of west Belfast, from Falls Road to McCrory Park, such relics embodied both family memory and the divided legacy of history that continues to shape how the poppy is perceived.
Author’s Summary
The poppy’s symbolism has shifted over time—from unity and sacrifice to moral complexity and division—reflecting how history still echoes through modern remembrance.