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Remembrance Poppy also stands for terror victims too, says Royal British Legion

Stolen: poppy collection tins were taken from locations across Essex (Picture: PA): PA
Stolen: poppy collection tins were taken from locations across Essex (Picture: PA): PA

The red poppy, which has long represented the UK's armed forces, now stands for civilians and victims of terrorism too, the Royal British Legion has said.

Previously, the 98-year-old charity's website said the poppy recognised "the wider impact of conflict".

But the charity's latest website update ahead of Armistice weekend expanded its statement on the 'What is Remembrance?' page to say victims of terrorism are included under their campaign.

The organisation says it remembers "the sacrifice of the Armed Forces community from Britain and the Commonwealth" and pays tribute to the families, emergency services and "innocent civilians who have lost their lives in conflict and acts of terrorism".

(Getty Images) The Royal British Legion had always acknowledged the wider impact of conflict but their website now explicitly recognises terror victims
(Getty Images) The Royal British Legion had always acknowledged the wider impact of conflict but their website now explicitly recognises terror victims

The Royal British Legion did not announce the change and said in a comment to the Evening Standard that it "frequently updates its website content regarding fundraising, support, remembrance and membership to keep it fresh and up to date".

The charity added: "In a recent update to our remembrance pages we confirmed that when we say the poppy acknowledges ‘the wider impact of conflict’, that refers to the civilians who have lost their lives in conflict and acts of terrorism.

"This is not a change from our existing position, simply a clarification that in addition to the Armed Forces, the poppy recognises the impact of conflict on civilians."

A survey conducted ahead of the launch of the Peace Pledge Union’s white poppies found 86 per cent of people agreed that all people who died in war, including civilians, should be memorialised on Remembrance Sunday.