‘Good riddance’: Europeans take to Twitter, troll UK over Brexit
Twitter users all over Europe flocked to the platform on Saturday to ridicule the Brits’ decision to quit the EU. Showing off their senses of humor, they came up with just about anything, from memes and hashtags to new verb forms.
The French have been poking at the Brits with a hashtag #BonDebarras, or ‘Good Riddance,’ saying their ‘adieu’ to ‘les Anglais’ and expressing delight at the prospect of their departure from the bloc.
“When I realize the shit the English have put themselves in by voting ‘out’... I feel lightheaded…”
Quand je vois dans quelle merde se sont mis les Anglais en votant "out"... Je me marre.
— Sébastien Coicaud (@SebCoicaud) June 25, 2016
READ MORE: 'Beyond comprehension': Global reactions roll in as UK shocks world with Brexit vote
L'UE sans les Anglais!! #brexit c'est une bonne nouvelle!
— Siegfried Mazet (@zigystardust77) June 24, 2016
UE without UK, that's a good news!! Dont worry, be happy!
User Cannetex posted this ad with a caption “we’re hiring.”
“Brexit: the works to reseal La Manche Channel to begin next week.”
On embauche 😂😂😂😂 @CANNETEXpic.twitter.com/zLXzxMg5dw
— CANNETEX (@CANNETEX) June 25, 2016
Twitter user L’Etat de fumier reposted a caricature showing migrant boats on the way to Europe with a caption: “The Brits are leaving Europe. We’d like to replace them!”
— L'État de fumier✊ (@OccitanPat) June 25, 2016
Some went on from the referendum results to trolling the Brits’ urge to hold a second vote after a petition with the call got over 2 million signatures in just over 24 hours.
“Brexit for Dummies: I propose a petition to redo the vote but only with the supporters of the ‘IN’ to save time.”
#Brexit pour les nuls
— Dalipas (@Dalipas) June 25, 2016
Je propose une pétition pour refaire le vote mais uniquement avec les partisans du "IN" pour gagner du temps
German web users have not been as busy, but nonetheless rather inventive. User TheGermaFor came up with a new compound verb inspired by the UK vote.
The German for attempting to improve something but actually making it worse is verschlimmbessern #brexit
— The German For... (@thegermanfor) June 24, 2016
And German-based SSI Software Services company tried to help visualize Brexit on its feed.
#Brexit Visualized pic.twitter.com/W8sT4mB7NZ
— SSI_Deutschland (@SSI_Deutschland) June 24, 2016
Spanish Flickr user Juan Alcor came up with an idea that made the Brits themselves laugh. He digitally manipulated a photograph showing a sign reading "Refugees Welcome" hanging from the Palacio Cibeles in Madrid, Spain that was published in September 2015. His manipulations left the picture looking like this and reposted numerous times on Twitter.
Nueva pancarta en Cibeles #Brexitpic.twitter.com/6mAljtuZ7S
— Camilo (@camiloenmadrid) June 24, 2016
Italians were a bit sharp-tongued, with one user saying he “would like to see the British who are locked up in Italy end up as illegal immigrants!”
#Brexit vorrei vedere gli Inglesi che stanno in Italia rinchiusi nei C.I.E. x immigrazione clandestina!😅😅😅
— fulvio (@operaio_comune) June 25, 2016
Another suggested a play on words as follows:
- How’re you doing?
- Fine, thanks :)
- Wanna go out?
- No, I’m not Great Britain”
#perdirepic.twitter.com/xhmMDjFyWg
— Diana Falcione (@dianafalcione69) June 25, 2016
Or this video...
"I'll explain Brexit to you."
Vi spiego il #Brexitpic.twitter.com/t2vXktU1NO
— FraSe (@UnoFRAtanti) June 24, 2016
An Irish tweet seems to have dotted all the i-s in 'Brexit.'
Live scenes from the channel tunnel...#Brexitpic.twitter.com/A6x5fpI6V8
— David Delahunty (@Delahuntagram) June 24, 2016
But the British, too, proved they do have a sense of humor and can laugh at their own problems just as well. These cats belonging to one Brit, for example, got over 40,000 retweets.
How do I tell them?? #Brexitpic.twitter.com/6Y7hRIKINi
— James Offer (@joffley) June 24, 2016
And this video of an unknown authorship claims to be an interview of one British ‘girlfriend’ on why exactly she voted ‘out.’ A joke or not, it does make one wonder.
Wow. I hope this is a joke, but I’m worried that it’s not. #Brexitpic.twitter.com/sBPUrA5R0x
— Gissur Simonarson CN (@GissiSim) June 25, 2016