IRISH actor Siobhán McSweeney has called for The Times newspaper to apologise for a “disgraceful” cartoon published during President Biden's visit to Ireland.
The drawing by the British newspaper’s Political Cartoonist Peter Brookes depicts the US President dressed as a leprechaun doing a jig and holding a pint of Guinness.
The caption has him stating ‘I just love Northern Ireland’.
The Derry Girls star was quick to respond when the cartoonist posted the image to his social media followers, highlighting its publication in the April 13 edition of The Times Newspaper while President Biden was touring the island of Ireland.
“Get this taken down now” the Cork-born actor said in a Tweet.
“Apology needed asap. This is an absolute disgrace,” she added.
GET THIS TAKEN DOWN NOW @thetimes
Apology needed asap. This is an absolute disgrace. https://t.co/yhWOvIBciT— Siobhán McSweeney (@siobhni) April 14, 2023
Her sentiments were echoed across social media, where those who viewed the image branded is “overtly racist” and “cultural mockery”.
The artist received a string of complaints responding to his post, but he has not responded to them publicly.
Surely, in 2023, we should have moved beyond ethnic jokes, discriminatory tropes and lazy stereotypes?
— William Crawley (@williamcrawley) April 14, 2023
The vibe never left, did it. pic.twitter.com/GiicLiU1HG
— Michelle Bobb-Parris (@whoisbobbparris) April 13, 2023
Don’t know if it’s worse that a national newspaper published this or that Pete sat down and drew every anti-Irish trope he could think of in one picture and never stopped to think “hey… doesn’t this make me disgustingly xenophobic?”
— Kenny Boyle Actor and Writer (@KennyIBoyle) April 14, 2023
Disappointing that paper of record falls to gutter. That stereotype belongs to “Punch” magazine
— Michael J Mahony 🇺🇦 (@michaelmahony01) April 14, 2023
