Popular Camden-based fancy dress shop Escaapde has removed a Nazi uniform from sale following a number of complaints and subsequent media coverage from within the Jewish community.
A complaint was first made earlier in the year, when Escapade initially stated that: ‘these costumes are just supposed to be fun’.
The Daily Star then ran an article about the shop selling the costume, which was a replica Gestapo uniform, described on the packaging as; ‘one of the most brutal organisations within the Nazi regime’.
The article featured comment from Mark Gardner, communications director of Jewish community group CST, who told the mewspaper: “Obviously Jewish people would be hugely offended to see these two costumes for hire in Britain, and it would be extremely insulting if someone was to wear it.”|
Bhupendra Maisuria, the director of Escapade, has since told the Jewish News that: “in Britain we have a history of mocking dictators and through humour not forget the past or holding a grudge.”
However, he continued to say that: “Context is very important when wearing such items and what is not offensive to one person can be highly offensive to another, as such we will no longer stock this item and deeply apologise to everyone who took offence.”
