A group of men attired in Nazi military uniforms were escorted away from a 1940s-themed event in Sheringham, Norfolk, "for their own safety," according to event organizers.
Wearing German SS outfits, the men were asked to leave the celebration following complaints from attendees. The uniforms featured swastikas and death's head symbols.
Graham Deans, the organizer of the annual Sheringham 1940s Weekend, expressed that the mannerisms and attire of the individuals were inappropriate for the event.
"These outfits are highly inappropriate, offensive, and disrespectful," stated Mr. Deans. "There were some very, very upset people in the town. There's a very small Jewish community in the town, and basically, it was inappropriate for them to be in the town."
After numerous complaints, the event organizer requested their departure, and the police were called to investigate a reported assault.
"For their own safety, we escorted them out of town to avoid any confrontation, and they agreed to leave the town immediately," explained Mr. Deans.
A vehicle and 15 marshals accompanied the men out of town, covering a distance of approximately a mile and a half.
Mr. Deans emphasized that the weekend's purpose was to celebrate the camaraderie and team spirit of the 1940s. In the future, the festival team plans to display costume guidelines at the town's entrances.
The 1940s weekend, which drew 20,000 visitors over the weekend, coincided with North Norfolk Railways' (NNR) Steam Back to the 40s event.
Graham Hukins, representing NNR, stated, "We have a long-standing policy of not allowing exhibitors or visitors in Axis uniforms [those of Germany, Italy, and Japan] on our sites at all. You don't want Nazism or fascism at an event meant to celebrate and commemorate life in Britain during that era."
Karen Pollock, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, expressed shock and offense at the sight of people dressed as Nazis and members of the SS in 2023, considering the historical context of their actions.
Sheringham Town Council announced plans to convene a meeting with local stakeholders to determine what occurred and discuss preventive measures.
Norfolk police reported that an officer on patrol in Sheringham encountered a confrontation on the High Street during the festival. The officer intervened and resolved the incident quickly. An investigation is ongoing regarding one individual's report of assault, and no injuries were reported.
One member of the group, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that they were from a history group and emphasized that no offense was intended. They left when requested to do so and clarified that they were dressed as fighters against Communist Russia, denying any deliberate provocation, and noting that some attendees appreciated their presence. Photo by stavros1, Wikimedia commons.