Leave campaigners have caused outrage by saying Britain risks an 'Orlando-style atrocity' if a Brexit doesn't happen
Leave.EU / Twitter
A group that is campaigning for Britain to leave the EU ignited fury today after publishing a poster on Twitter suggesting that an 'Orlando-style atrocity' could happen in Britain if a Brexit doesn't take place.
The poster showed a picture of ISIS fighters and text that read:
"Islamic extremism is a real threat to our way of life. Act now before we see an Orlando-style atrocity here before too long."
The accompanying tweet read: "The free movement of Kalashnikovs in Europe helps terrorists. Vote for greater security on June 23. Vote #Leave."
Leave.EU - founded by UKIP-doner Arron Banks - deleted the tweet after hundreds of Twitter users including members of parliament and high-profile journalists condemned it in the strongest terms.
To say that this campaign is in the gutter would be far too generous. Vile campaigning. https://t.co/OfWLLKeNIl
- Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) June 13, 2016
Shameful and cowardly. Our best protection against terror is standing together whether in Orlando, Paris or Brussels https://t.co/Cp0LOqGXxe
- Hilary Benn (@hilarybennmp) June 13, 2016
this is absolutely disgusting https://t.co/Bc4G3ExjTo
- helena horton (@horton_official) June 13, 2016
.@LeaveEUOfficial This is really shameful.
- Nicky Morgan (@NickyMorgan01) June 13, 2016
The poster appeared to imply that remaining in the EU would make it easier for terrorists to enter the UK and to transport weapons into the country.
However, as a number of Twitter users rightly pointed out, the perpetrator behind the weekend's attacks in Florida was born in the US and bought the weapons that he used in the attacks in the States.
Leave.EU is one of a number of groups that has been set up to campaign for Britain to leave the 28-nation bloc on June 23. It describes itself as "Britain's fastest growing grassroots movement to leave the EU" on its website.
Boris Johnson, who is a committee member for the official pro-Brexit group Vote Leave, told Sky News: "We have absolutely nothing to do with their campaign. It is important that nobody should try and make political capital out of an appalling tragedy."
Business Insider has contacted the group for comment.
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