The killing of a white deer by Liverpool police and its symbolism in European culture

This morning in Liverpool, police killed a white stag that had the folly to run into the city. Yes, the animal might have been temporarily sedated and carried off elsewhere, but someone took the decision to deprive it of its life.

In my view, this is a very bad omen for England.

European culture holds any number of ancient notions of the white stag as a magical creature. A popular myth links the chase of the stag with spiritual quests; does the inexplicable killing of this beast not symbolise a voluntary and spontaneous end to Britain's spiritual searching?

It is strange that the Merseyside police know their fairy tales so poorly and do not recall how many kings in how many ages have pursued this beautiful animal through enchanted forests, only to find, to their own surprise, that they had been deceived by their quarry. I say nothing of the good three hundred pubs at the very least, up and down the country, adorned with the name of the White Hart.

If anyone wished to anger the ancient gods, this is exactly what was needed!