Raelians banned from displaying ancient swastikas in Germany on 'World Swastika Rehabilitation Day'

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Jun 22, 2012, 10:00 ET

LAS VEGAS, June 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the 3rd annual World Swastika Rehabilitation Day, Raelians, together with representatives from the Buddhist and Hindu religions, are planning to carry out major events in cities throughout the Americas, Australia and Africa on Saturday, June 23 (see http://www.raelpress.org/news.php?item.277.1).

In Europe, Raelians from Germany and its surrounding countries have decided to use this opportunity to inform the German public about the swastika's history, since most Germans completely ignore the swastika's good standing as a very ancient symbol of peace for Buddhists and a symbol of good luck for numerous other cultures.

The city of Karlsruhe, where the event is to be held, has nevertheless banned Raelians from displaying any type of swastika except for the Raelian symbol, in which a swastika intertwines with a six-pointed star.

"According to an order issued by the Karlsruhe government on June 15, the display of swastikas would lead to 'an immediate danger for the public safety and order' (see http://www.proswastika.org/download.php?view.3)," explained Thomas Kaenzig, coordinator of World Swastika Rehabilitation Day. "But how can a peaceful assembly explaining the religious and multicultural origin of this symbol be a threat to public safety? The attempt by the German government to bury the swastika under the pretext that it's a symbol of violence and hatred only gives credit to the horrible Nazi ideology. On the contrary, the government should encourage our action, since by giving this symbol its true value, we finally allow the German people to turn the page."

Kaenzig said that is exactly what 18 members of the European Parliament did in a letter to the European Commission dated February 21, 2005. (See http://www.proswastika.org/download.php?view.4).

"For Raelians, the swastika is one of the most prominent traces left by the extraterrestrial scientists who created us, who were mistaken for gods by our ancestors," Kaenzig said.

[See www.rael.org.] "We can find this symbol in all ancient cultures: in Buddhist manuscripts, on Shinto temples in Japan, in traditional African and Native American artwork, absolutely everywhere. Even in Israel one can find numerous synagogues and other ancient sites displaying the swastika.

[See http://www.proswastika.org/page.php?4.2 and following pages.]

"And last but not least, the Bellevue castle of the German president in Berlin proudly displays swastikas without compromising public safety.

[See http://www.swastika-info.com/de2/worldwide/germany/1298815635.html].

The ban by the city of Karlsruhe is an insult not only for all Raelians, but also for all Buddhists, Hindus and Shintos who represent a majority of the world's population.

As a reminder, in 1988 the Munich appeals court [OLG] has established that 'use of the Raelian symbol obviously doesn't contravene against the protection purposes of article 86a of the penal code and is hence not punishable under this statute.'"

[See http://www.proswastika.org/download.php?view.1]

Kaenzig said that despite the ban imposed by the city order, the group in favor of rehabilitating the swastika has decided to proceed with the event, which will start at 3 p.m. at the Kronenplatz in Karlsruhe.

He added that in the United States, demonstrations will take place in Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Miami starting at 3 p.m. local time, and that large swastika banners will be flown in the skies of the Los Angeles area and along the New Jersey coastline from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. local time, and in the New York City area from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST.