“Squadron associations will have to be renamed. It is like we’ve been canceled,” one aviator said. “Somehow, now, in 2024, ‘Crusaders’ is an offensive term. Previously, nobody was offended.”
An air unit formed in the days when pilots were considered knights and gentlemanly combat ruled the sky has been stripped of its historical nickname after fears it could be offensive to Muslim communities.
The Royal Air Force’s 14 Squadron was forced to drop the “Crusader” title after an official complaint was filed against the unit.
According to a news report, a single complaint sparked a campaign against the nickname. Aviators and crewmen were told to remove all instances of the name around their hangars.
“We have to take down every mention of Crusaders from our base,” one aviator told the Daily Mail.
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