The "Bloody" Flag

In August 2006, Embargoed! and its members complained to local London newspaper Haringey Advertiser for a racist advert from the National Federation of (Greek) Cypriots. The newspaper, which is sold in North London - the home to many Greek and Turkish Cypriots - generated complaints due to the inclusion in its 26 July 2006 issue of a map of Cyprus with blood dripping down from the North of the island into South Cyprus (see image).

The Haringey Advertiser was criticised for its insensitivity in permitting this offensive symbol, which Embargeod! described as "a crude, vulgar and offensive portrayal of North Cyprus". The group also argued that such actions demonised North Cyprus and helped fuel the racial hatred of Turks.

Led by Embargoed!, the UK Turkish community also made a formal complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). There were a total of 93 individual complaints, as well as a petition signed by over four hundred local people calling on the ASA to ban the advert. It resulted in the advert becoming the ninth most complained about in Britain in 2006, being included in the ASA's annual report and was also featured in a news report by the BBC about the year's most controversial adverts.

While the offensive logo, created by Greek Cypriot group Lobby for Cyprus, had been in circulation for years, this was the first time Turkish Cypriots had objected to its use. While the ASA did not uphold the complaint, Embargoed! continued to lobby for Greek Cypriots to 'drop the racist logo', asking politicians and the Metropolitan police for support.

Two years on and the National Federation of (Greek) Cypriots now use a modified version of the logo, with the dripping blood removed, replaced with a divided Cyprus denoted by two zones of different colours.