Fury as ‘grotesque’ Nazi flags and SS armbands spotted up for sale at ‘nostalgic’ 1940s council event

FURY has erupted after “grotesque” Nazi memorabilia emerged on sale at a “nostalgic” 1940s wartime-themed council event. Shocking pictures showed swastika-adorned flags and SS armbands being flogged at the Lytham 1940s Weekend in Fylde, Lancashire, last week. Shocking pictures showed swastika-adorned flags and SS armbands being sold at the event Credit: Campaign Against Antisemitism Antisemitism campaigners slammed the inclusion of Nazi paraphernalia Credit: Campaign Against Antisemitism Antisemitism campaigners slammed the inclusion of Nazi paraphernalia at the annual event, which promises to “re-live the 1940s wartime era”. Thousands had flocked to the historical weekend, which was hosted by Fylde Council last Saturday and Sunday. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Campaign Against Antisemitism accused the local authority of “permitting the sale of hate symbols” at the packed-out event. Issuing a statement on Facebook, the campaign group confirmed it had written to the council regarding the vile items. Campaign Against Antisemitism accused the local authority of ‘permitting the sale of hate symbols’ Credit: Campaign Against Antisemitism Thousands had flocked to the historical weekend, which was hosted by Fylde Council Credit: Fylde Council It read: “Nazi memorabilia is not a quaint, nostalgic souvenir of the past. “These items were part of a military apparatus involved in the extermination of six million Jewish men, women, and children. “Even more galling, the website’s visitor information asks attendees not to wear “anything that might offend others” or “anything associated with the more extreme elements of the Nazi regime.” “So why is Lytham 1940s Weekend permitting the sale of hate symbols? Most read in The Sun “These items belong in a museum, not in the hands of collectors who stand to profit from the symbols of a genocide.” Stalls at the event, which offered “weapons displays, historic vehicles and vintage traders”, also saw replicas of Nazi signage and symbols. One of the black armbands was adorned with a skull and crossbones – the symbol of the Totenkopf. It was typically worn by members of Adolf Hitler’s SS and units working in concentration camps. Another sign at the event was emblazoned with the Nazi eagle and referenced Kriminalpolizei, the Nazi criminal police force. The unit was led by the SS and became a brutal tool of state terror for the Nazis, being used to persecute and murder Jewish people. Many European countries, such as Germany and France, have banned the sale of Nazi items – but it is not currently illegal in the UK. Fylde Council has been approached for comment. The fury comes amid a horrific rise in antisemitism across the UK. We revealed earlier this year how children were being told to swap their kippahs for baseball caps in case they were targeted on a school trip. A headteacher made the drastic decision to conceal their heritage during a trip to Legoland. One of the parents whose children went on the May 5 trip described the situation as “heartbreaking”. And in the past month, there have been several police investigations launched into assaults on Jewish children in North London. In Finchley, a car mounted the kerb and sped towards three 14-year-old schoolboys. In Belsize Park, a group of Jewish children were assaulted and subjected to abusive language by youths from another school. And in Stamford Hill, an 11-year-old boy was pushed into a shop shutter while riding his scooter. Comment now