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Are you offended by history?

The swastika has always had a very controversial image, associated with war, Nazi's and the holocaust, although it's original meaning is much further removed.

Some of the earliest uses seems to have been in Neolithic Eurasia. The swastika is also used in religious and civil ceremonies in Hindu countries (especially Nepal and India). Most Indian temples are decorated with swastikas to bring them well being or good luck.

More recently however, Keith Sharp from Dawlish has been served with an £80 police penalty notice for distributing leaflets with a swastika on them protesting the £80,000 CCTV installations proposed for the area.

The police have now told him to stop issuing the leaflets because of complaints from people offended by the "Nazi symbol". When he refused, they claimed he had caused harassment, alarm and distress in the community.

Is Dawlish a known centre of conurbation for holocaust survivors? If it is, then it's news to me. Either way, the police have only strengthened any point he was making by enforcing the Police State in which we now seem to live.

On the other hand, millions of people of Indian origin live in the West, and continue to use the swastika as their main religious and cultural symbol in festivals, marriages and ceremonies.

Mehr informationen

Wikipedia