Tattoo parlor Offers Free swastika tattoos to reclaim Nazi symbol

The swastika symbol so closely associated with Hitler and the Nazi Party is actually an ancient Buddhist and Hindu symbol meaning peace. More than 100 tattoo parlors around the world participated in a “Learn to Love the Swastika” campaign in which they offered customers free tattoos featuring the controversial symbol in order to “reclaim” its original meaning. There was an excellent response to the free tattoo offer in Copenhagen, where the owner of the Meatshop parlor reported that so many individuals lined up outside his shop that he had to suspend the offer after doing the 54th swastika tattoo.

More than 120 tattoo parlors took part in the “Learn to Love the Swastika” campaign this week. More than 170 artists in 40 countries, including the US, UK, and Germany, participated.

Tattoo parlor owners and designers provided every customer with a disclaimer form that they had to sign before receiving their free body art, agreeing that they were not obtaining the swastika for neo-Nazi purposes.

“I met ManWoman once, and he was covered in swastikas,” said Audrie Cabena, who works at Yankee Tattoo Parlour in Dundee, Scotland. “I think it is important to recover that symbol and educate people, really.”

Although many representatives of the Jewish faith throughout the world have expressed outrage at the tattoo campaign, its organizers insist it is a sincere effort to return the original meaning of peace and love to the swastika symbol which they say was hijacked by the Nazi party for maleficent purposes. Several government agencies throughout Europe still classify the swastika today as hate speech and prohibit its display.

“I believe that a symbol that was once something else, but which the Nazis took hostage, cannot just be washed clean,” said Finn Schwarz, president of the Jewish Congregation of Copenhagen.

Schwarz said the campaign was incredibly disappointing.

On The Web:
Tattoo Parlors Offer Free Swastikas to Reclaim Nazi Symbol
http://nypost.com/2013/11/14/tattoo-parlors-offer-free-swastikas-to-reclaim-nazi-symbol/

Free swastika tattoos to reclaim Nazi symbol
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/14/tattoo-shops-give-away-free-body-art-to-help-reclaim-swastika-from-nazi-association/