Cemetery removes headstone over “offensive” picture
A petition has been launched against a memorial park in Adelaide following the removal of an “offensive” headstone.
Arthur Bridge’s son Peter Robert Bridge died in April last year at 33 following a lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis.
Arthur said his family wanted to celebrate Peter’s “wicked sense of humour” by including a small picture of him sticking up his middle finger on his headstone at the Enfield Memorial Park.
“Pete would have loved it because that was who he was,” Arthur told 9News. “He would be driving along and he would see a mate and the finger would be up to them, just joking around.”
The headstone was removed in January, months after it was installed.
Arthur said the cemetery found the photo “offensive” and removed the headstone without contacting him or his family.
“Apparently someone had complained. But the photo is so small, you would have to be standing pretty much on top of it to see what it is,” he said.
“They know where I live, I’m only five minutes up the road. They could have popped a letter in my letterbox.
“It’s morally wrong, there is just nothing right about it. You don’t do that.”
More than 2,600 people have signed a petition set up by Arthur to protest the removal.
The Adelaide Cemeteries Authority told 7News it has made numerous attempts to notify the Bridge family prior to the removal.
“Adelaide Cemeteries has since met with the Bridge family on a number of occasions to try to resolve the issue,” said chief operations officer Michael Robertson.
“Adelaide Cemeteries remains prepared to work with the Bridge family to find a solution.”