Clothing company under fire for trying to ‘bring back’ the swastika
By Joshua Haigh
A clothing company has come under fire for its range of swastika-branded jumpers and t-shirts.
KA Design released a line featuring a rainbow swastika symbol, in a bid to “bring back” the Nazi imagery as a symbol of “love, peace, respect and freedom”.
While the symbol does have roots in other cultures, it was most famously used by Adolf Hitler, who used it as the notorious logo for the homophobic, racist and xenophobic Nazi party during the second world war.
“We really like the symbol in its shape and aesthetics,” KA Designs told Dazed, “and we would love to share the beauty of this symbol detached from the hatred associated with it.”
“We want to promote love and peace to remind everyone that mankind can be better that what it currently is and was in the past. It’s not in our interest making everyone forget about this past.
“We are free to reclaim whatever we want. However, it is very important to find the right way to do it without forgetting why this something is being reclaimed,” added the brand.
During his time in power, Hitler ordered the deaths of thousands of LGBT+ people based solely on his hatred for their sexuality. So we’ve got a better idea. How about… no.
Turns out the company agreed following a wave of criticism on social media, and KA Design has since pulled the product from its online store.