A SEAFRONT mural and a postbox dressed up to mock former foreign secretary Boris Johnson’s comments about Islamic dress have been spotted in south Essex.

The outspoken Tory MP claimed Muslim women wearing a Niqab resembled letterboxes or bank robbers, prompting a tirade of criticism.

Others have decided to use humour and ridicule to highlight his comments.

In Seymour Road, Hadleigh, bin bags were used to transform a Royal Mail postbox into a hastily arranged mock-up of what Mr Johnson had described, complete with a “free Boris” label attached.

On Eastern Esplanade, a Southend street artist has painted a mural with three women in Islamic dress standing behind the bleating MP with his mouth wide open.

Other incidents across the country include Muslim women posing by postboxes describing them as “my bestie”.

Ahmed Kwaja, chairman of the Southend Ethnic Minority Forum, said: “The language used by Boris Johnson is dangerous and divisive. When comments like these are normalised they open the door for racist, right-wing voices to be heard and agitate the conversation.

**Warning strong language**

“We have seen time and again what can happen when comments like Mr Johnson’s become accepted - it was allowing rhetoric such as this to spread that led to the tragic death of MP Jo Cox. No sane politician should be making comments like this.

“At times like this, we should be working together to create a more cohesive society, not amplifying prejudiced voices when people within the Muslim community are already facing being attacked outside mosques or having their hijabs torn off in public.

Artist John Bulley said: “I don’t support Boris Johnson or what he stands for in any way.

“I think his comments were completely inappropriate and it was my intention to make him look as ridiculous as possible.”