After browsing at a military supply store in New Westminster this week, a Vancouver resident says he is offended by some of the items for sale that display Nazi symbolism.
Avie Alauf, originally from Israel, went to Westley Military Surplus on Front Street and saw Nazi symbols such as the swastika and Parteiadler - the official Nazi Party insignia - on several items in the store.
"It's funny, because you can see on one side bags of Israeli paratroopers, which are new, obviously, just beside Nazi T-shirts," he said. "I'm sure [the owners] don't have a problem with Jews, or whatever, but it's crazy to sell Nazi T-shirts."
Alauf served with the Israeli army and was interested in seeing what the store had for sale when he dropped in.
He said he was surprised to find items from the Third Reich for sale in Canada.
"It's kind of weird to me that they sell it in plain sight," he said. "Maybe it's because I'm Jewish, but I don't know."
Store owner Pauly Benton said this is the first time he has heard of a complaint of this kind since he bought the store last year.
Being of Jewish descent himself, Benton showed the Star of David he wears around his neck and said he is, in turn, offended that someone would complain about having Nazi memorabilia on display or for sale.
"I find it offensive that this guy phoned and complained about it," he said. "I find that totally offensive, knowing that I have five distant relatives in my family that were actually killed during the Holocaust."
Benton said he is not concerned anyone buying the T-shirts or memorabilia may be affiliated with neo-Nazi or white-supremacist groups.
"I'm trying to promote history, and that's all I'm trying to do," Benton said.
