Jan. 17



EUROPEAN UNION:

EU considers banning Nazi symbols in 25 nations after Prince Harry's
costume blunder


The European Union may consider banning Nazi symbols in its 25 member
nations after Britain's Prince Harry wore a swastika armband to a costume
party, the bloc's top justice official said Monday.

Franco Frattini, the EU's justice and home affairs commissioner, said he
was open to discussing the issue at a Jan. 27 meeting of EU justice
ministers.

"It may be worth looking into the possibility of a total ban, a
Europe-wide ban," his spokesman, Friso Roscam Abbing, told reporters
Monday. "Commissioner Frattini shares the general feeling of opprobrium on
the use of the swastika and other Nazi symbols."

The call came after several German conservatives, socialists and liberal
democrats in the European Parliament urged a European ban following a
scandal last week over photos published worldwide of Harry, third in line
to the British throne, wearing the Nazi outfit.

German Socialist Helmut Kuhne called Harry a "royal idiot" for not knowing
the consequences and World War II history linked to the Nazi swastika.

Germany already bans such symbols.

But British Liberal Democrat Chris Davies questioned the need to ban the
swastika.

"I understand how the burden of history weighs upon my German colleagues'
view," he said. "However, banning symbols cannot ban evil and risks
playing into the hands of those who would seek to subvert the very
liberties we most champion."

Roscam Abbing said Frattini would urge EU ministers to use the swastika
incident to push for agreement on EU-wide rules to combat racism, fascism
and anti-Semitism.

A proposal was introduced two years ago but discussions have failed to
make headway. Roscam Abbing said officials would take care not to violate
freedom of expression in devising such a ban.

Frattini's decision to look into an EU-wide ban could further embarrass
Queen Elizabeth II, who is to lead British commemorations of the Holocaust
in London later this month.

(source: Associated Press)