Heraldry in the News!

There's another story out today of a political party using -- or rather, misusing -- the arms of a community, this time to the south of the Scotland-England border.

Supporters of the British National Party have placed York’s coat of arms on a blog page promoting the organisation in the City of York, and have been told using it without permission is against the law.

“City of York Council wrote to the organisation concerned regarding the use of the registered council crest of arms being used on their website,” said a council spokeswoman. “They have been advised that the coat of arms is registered with the College of Arms and that it is unlawful for anybody else to use it without our permission.”  (I have to admit, I think that's the first time I've seen the term "crest of arms" used; I've seen "crest" used instead of the more correct "coat of arms" many times, even by folks who should know better, like The Times in London, but not "crest of arms" before.)

The full story can be found on the website of The Press of York at: http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8333579.Council_tells_BNP_to_stop_using_its_coat_of_arms/