School's Nazi flea market shocks Spain
A Nazi and fascist memorabilia market held at a school gym on the outskirts of Madrid has led Spaniards to call into question the country's ruling party's far right roots.
Visitors at Quijorna's Saturday memorabilia market could buy everything from posters of former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco to Nazi swastikas and SS Totenkopf skull emblems.
Organizers got permission from the municipality’s mayor, Popular Party leader Meredes García, to hold the event at a local state-funded school.
When asked by Spanish daily El País why she had allowed the fascist flea market to take place, she argued that she "hadn't spotted the swastikas or Nazi paraphernalia" when she visited it on Saturday.
"There was never any intention to hurt anybody’s feelings," she added.
But socialist town councillor Azucena Concejo, like most commentators, was having none of it.
"Nazi emblems are banned in Germany and constitute a crime," she remarked.
The fascist flea market was part of a military display held in the small municipality to honour those who lost their lives during the Republican takeover of Quijorna during the Spanish Civil War.
Other Popular Party members are said to be "in shock" over what took place on Saturday, and are more than likely angered by an incident which is only serving to further tarnish the "fascist" image which Spain’s Popular Party holds in the eyes of its detractors.
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Visitors at Quijorna's Saturday memorabilia market could buy everything from posters of former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco to Nazi swastikas and SS Totenkopf skull emblems.
Organizers got permission from the municipality’s mayor, Popular Party leader Meredes García, to hold the event at a local state-funded school.
When asked by Spanish daily El País why she had allowed the fascist flea market to take place, she argued that she "hadn't spotted the swastikas or Nazi paraphernalia" when she visited it on Saturday.
"There was never any intention to hurt anybody’s feelings," she added.
But socialist town councillor Azucena Concejo, like most commentators, was having none of it.
"Nazi emblems are banned in Germany and constitute a crime," she remarked.
The fascist flea market was part of a military display held in the small municipality to honour those who lost their lives during the Republican takeover of Quijorna during the Spanish Civil War.
Other Popular Party members are said to be "in shock" over what took place on Saturday, and are more than likely angered by an incident which is only serving to further tarnish the "fascist" image which Spain’s Popular Party holds in the eyes of its detractors.
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