Posted on 01/17/2005 10:36:35 AM PST by Vaquero
Harry's Swastika Prompts Talk of EU Ban
2 hours, 5 minutes ago Europe - AP
By CONSTANT BRAND, Associated Press Writer
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union (news - web sites) may consider banning Nazi symbols in its 25 member nations after Britain's Prince Harry wore a swastika armband to a costume party, the bloc's top justice official said Monday.
AP Photo
AFP Slideshow: Prince Harry's Nazi Costume Criticized
Franco Frattini, the EU's justice and home affairs commissioner, said he was open to discussing the issue at a Jan. 27 meeting of EU justice ministers.
"It may be worth looking into the possibility of a total ban, a Europe-wide ban," his spokesman, Friso Roscam Abbing, told reporters Monday. "Commissioner Frattini shares the general feeling of opprobrium on the use of the swastika and other Nazi symbols."
The call came after several German conservatives, socialists and liberal democrats in the European Parliament urged a European ban following a scandal last week over photos published worldwide of Harry, third in line to the British throne, wearing the Nazi outfit.
German Socialist Helmut Kuhne called Harry a "royal idiot" for not knowing the consequences and World War II history linked to the Nazi swastika.
Germany already bans such symbols.
But British Liberal Democrat Chris Davies questioned the need to ban the swastika.
"I understand how the burden of history weighs upon my German colleagues' view," he said. "However, banning symbols cannot ban evil and risks playing into the hands of those who would seek to subvert the very liberties we most champion."
Roscam Abbing said Frattini would urge EU ministers to use the swastika incident to push for agreement on EU-wide rules to combat racism, fascism and anti-Semitism.
A proposal was introduced two years ago but discussions have failed to make headway. Roscam Abbing said officials would take care not to violate freedom of expression in devising such a ban.
Frattini's decision to look into an EU-wide ban could further embarrass Queen Elizabeth II (news - web sites), who is to lead British commemorations of the Holocaust in London later this month.
Everyone knows that liberalism stands for civil rights and free speech.
No problem, I'm all for banning the EU.
What's the point? The spirit of Nazism is still alive and well in Europe.
I'm still laughing about this mess. Harry always seems to play his cards in a way to make the Royals flush.
Lets ban it, and give incidence even more priority
The banning is fascist.
Funny, they will ban the symbol but implement the idea.
gosh you're right... that's incredible irony...
No, I am not joking.
I guess they'll have to burn all Mel Brooks movies.
Thank God for AeroMaster and some of the other aftermarket decal companies. And as for Prince Harry....how about they try banning monarchy? There's an idea whose time has come.....TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO!!!!!
Ban the swastika, but coddle Islamists who advocate killing Jews. That's the EU.
Well said!
It's worse over there. You preach and quote the Bible on homosexuality in Sweden it's a fine and/or jail time. Several delegates to the EU have proposed that speech in opposition to abortion be designated a hate crime. The EU also signed on to an internet hate crime bill causing many "hate" sites to relocate to the US.
I lived in Germany, and the ban on the swastika was so arcane that if you purchase a WW II aircraft model in a hobby store, the Government had already opened your box from the factory and cut out the swastika decals with scissors from the decal sheet.I collect die cast models and can attest to this. The German WWII planes I've gotten are not authentic because they are missing the tail decal.
They attack the symbol while completely missing the substantiave point.
-Eric
I guess they will be banning communist symbols too since they killed more people than the Nazis... oh silly me, the communists have voting members in the EU Parliment.
Everyone knows that liberalism stands for civil rights and free speech.
As long as it is government prescribed speech and government allowed privileges.
You're exactly right.
Well, if they are going to ban symbols, they should start by also banning Communist symbols...
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