Bad Hair Day In South Ealing

Poster causes upset to North Koreans

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A poster featuring Kim Jong-Un on the window of a hair salon in South Ealing has reportedly caused an 'incident' with the North Korean embassy and turned a local hairdresser into a media sensation.

The poster at M&M hair Academy on South Ealing Road, used a photograph of the dictator alongside an advert for discounted gents haircuts in April.

Owner, Mo Nabbach, told newspapers that two men, believed to be North Korean officials, were offended by the display and ordered him to take it down.

He said: "I told them we are in England and not North Korea and told them to get out of my premises."

Local resident and Labour's candidate for the Ealing Central and Acton parliamentary seat, Dr Rupa Huq said:

'' I’ve heard an eye-witness account from a local mum who was in the salon having her hair cut when a bunch of besuited gents burst in in an intimidating manner insisting that the picture was removed, frightening the kids who were there at the time.

''The poster certainly succeeded in being attention-grabbing but the owner rightly refused to give into this tyranny. This intervention is a disproportionately heavy handed response to what was essentially mockery of our world leaders which is itself a vital part of any democracy and a long established part of traditional British culture.

''The whole incident represents something of a sense of humour failure. It may a subjective point of view but it could also be pointed out that Kim Jong-un’s style of coiffure does border on the ridiculous.''

Since the news broke this week the neighbourhood salon has become something of a tourist attraction with visitors wanting to photograph the controversial image.

Hairdresser Mo has been inundated with press enquiries and the news has gone viral. The story has featured in the press, on radio and tv - American and other foriegn news agencies have taken an interest too.

The salon is located just miles from the North Korean embassy on Gunnersbury Avenue and according to the Evening Standard, diplomats sent a letter to the Foreign Office calling for it to take “necessary action to stop the provocation”.

The police issued a statement '' Officers have spoken to all parties involved, no offences have been disclosed.''

17th April 2014