SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Has anyone else seen the massive Neo-Nazi celtic cross flags being sold in the indoor market? I really have no idea if the stallholder has any concept of their sinister meaning,but i think it is shocking that such visible symbols of hate can be allowed to be displayed so openly. Where are the Market Inspectors who should be doing something about this? Who do i complain to?

Leeds Kirkgate Market Market office, 34 George Street, Leeds, LS2 7HY. Tel. 0113 214 5162.e    [email protected]

A celtic cross isn't a swastika or neo nazi

The celtic cross is used by the Nazi group Stormfront. According to www.crwflags.com the Celtic cross is probably the most popular symbol amongst European Nazis. They base it in that Celts are true Europeans, a pure breed. I agree that the symbol has been hijacked,but so was the Swastika and would you like one of them fluttering over Kirkgate market?

franco wrote: The celtic cross is used by the Nazi group Stormfront. According to www.crwflags.com the Celtic cross is probably the most popular symbol amongst European Nazis. They base it in that Celts are true Europeans, a pure breed. I agree that the symbol has been hijacked,but so was the Swastika and would you like one of them fluttering over Kirkgate market? I doubt the celtic cross will go away, it represents many different things to many different people and is to be found in different forms in many shops around Leeds.

It's not so much the cross itself, it's the red flag with a white circle in the middle and the black cross in the white circle. Sound familiar? The individual elements are harmless, put together and they mean something else.

It only represents something bad if you let it represents something bad, celtic symbols have got a damn site more to do with good things in this country than anything evil and if you let anyone take over the meaning of something where will it stop. If a neo nazi group start to use a picture of christ as a symbol will you start to ask for all pictures of christ to be removed. When you look at history of the Swastika it is such a shame that the only thing it brings to mind is nazi's.

I wouldn't expect many 'neo-nazi christ flags' to be hung in local churches, if such a thing existed, because people would know what its symbolism meant. Basically we're talking a nazi flag with the swastika replaced by a celtic cross. The imagery was chosen, in the main, to get around German laws about displaying the swastika. Unless there's something specific in the lease agreement I'm not sure what can be done. It could be argued it's no worse than a military memorabilia stall selling german World War Two material.     

I think Cardiarms is right. The Celtic Cross per se isn't a fascist symbol - it's the context. I would suggest that the BNP's hijacking of the Cross of St George flag of England has been reversed to some extent, recently. However, put it in a white circle on a red background and the context changes again. As someone said above, even the swastika itself was (and still is) an Eastern symbol of Good (although the Nazi version "spins" in the opposite direction.)In Germany, the swastika is banned totally, irrespective of context. Even models of German WWII aeroplanes have no swastikas, making them historically inaccurate. It's a difficult judgement drawing the line between air-brushing out unpleasant aspects of the past to protect modern-day sensibilities, and remembering the past as it was, truthfully, warts and all. After all, he who forgets/ignores the past, is condemned to repeat it (to paraphrase somebody - forget who.)        

Si wrote: I think Cardiarms is right. The Celtic Cross per se isn't a fascist symbol - it's the context. I would suggest that the BNP's hijacking of the Cross of St George flag of England has been reversed to some extent, recently. However, put it in a white circle on a red background and the context changes again. As someone said above, even the swastika itself was (and still is) an Eastern symbol of Good (although the Nazi version "spins" in the opposite direction.)In Germany, the swastika is banned totally, irrespective of context. Even models of German WWII aeroplanes have no swastikas, making them historically inaccurate. It's a difficult judgement drawing the line between air-brushing out unpleasant aspects of the past to protect modern-day sensibilities, and remembering the past as it was, truthfully, warts and all. After all, he who forgets/ignores the past, is condemned to repeat it (to paraphrase somebody - forget who.)     My intended sentiment too Si - well put.