BERLIN, Jan. 16 (Xinhuanet)-- Leading German politicians Sunday called for a ban on Nazi symbols throughout Europe after a picture of British Prince Harry wearing a Nazi uniform was published.
"In a Europe of peace and freedom there should be no place for Nazi symbols," said General Secretary of the Christian Social Party, Markus Soeder, to the Bild am Sonntag newspaper published on Sunday.
He stressed that Nazi symbols should be banned not only in Germany, but also everywhere in Europe.
Deputy president of the Social Democratic Party (SPD)'s parliamentary group, Michael Mueller, agreed with Soeder, saying: "Nazi symbols must be banned both in Germany and other parts of Europe."
Deputy president of the Christian Union Party, Wolfgang Bosbach,said European justice ministers would be likely to discuss a possible ban on Nazi symbols in Europe.
He supported the ban because "Nazi symbols are unbearable for the victims of the Nazi regime".
The costume of Prince Harry was very tasteless and the impact on Nazi victims was unbearable, he added.
SPD parliamentary group spokesman for interior policies, DieterWiefelspuetz, said the prince's behavior showed a "misanthrope and murderous weltanschauung".
Deputy chairman of the Free Democratic Party's parliamentary group, Silvana Koch-Mehrin, stressed: "The whole Europe once suffered the crime of the Nazis. It will be thorough only when Nazi symbols are banned in the whole Europe."
Koch-Mehrin called on the European Union commission to put the issue on the agenda of next EU justice ministers' meeting.
The 20-year-old Harry, grandson of British Queen Elizabeth II and third in line to the throne, was photographed at a fancy dressparty dressed up as a Nazi official with a large swastika armband,causing outrage in European nations. He then apologized for his gaffe in a written statement on Thursday. Enditem |