29 Apr 2025
Just a few weeks before the 80th anniversary of VE Day – signifying victory in Europe over the Third Reich – shoppers were shocked to see Nazi memorabilia on sale at St Albans Vintage Market.
A stall at Sunday’s event featured a Nazi flag featuring a huge swastika, together with a Nazi eagle plaque and wall mounting.
The possession and sale of Nazi memorabilia is strictly prohibited in many parts of Europe but is not a criminal offence in the UK, even though such items can prove extremely offensive to people of the Jewish faith, travellers, Muslims and members of the LGBT+ community, all of whom were persecuted in the Holocaust.
SADC assistant director (public realm) Stuart Fitzsimmons said: “We are aware of complaints about Nazi memorabilia being sold at the Vintage Market on Sunday.
“As a council, we are committed to tackling racism such as antisemitism and fostering good community relations. The flaunting of Nazi memorabilia is completely unacceptable.
“This is an independent market run by Corky Events and we are not involved in its operations.
“However, Corky Events do require authorisation from us to trade in the city centre and our markets manager is investigating the issue.
“He will be speaking to the organiser to find out how this happened.
“We will be asking both for a public apology and an assurance that there will be no repeat, otherwise we will reconsider our authorisation.
“Nazi memorabilia is highly offensive and we do not allow it at our Charter Market.”
St Albans MP Daisy Cooper added: “I’m horrified to see reports of Nazi memorabilia being sold at an antiques market in St Albans – especially in the run up to the historic 80th anniversary of VE Day.
“Whilst the sale of Nazi memorabilia is not illegal in the UK, the sale of such disturbing items has no place in our St Albans community or in our monthly antiques market – a wonderful event that represents such a thriving and special aspect of our St Albans community, bringing many fantastic antiques traders to our city.
“The independent organisers of this market and the Markets team at St Albans District Council must urgently investigate how this incident occurred, to ensure that the sale of such items cannot happen again at any future market.”
The St Albans Times contacted the market’s organiser, Corky Events, on the day of the market and subsequently, but have yet to receive a response.
However, they did post about the incident on their Facebook page.
“This particular trader has traded at the market on and off since the early days. She has always had very nice eastern European artefacts, garden containers and small furniture.
“[Sunday] she turned up with a full table of Nazi memorabilia. Once it was brought to my attention early on I went and asked her to put it away. She refused so I asked her to pack up and leave – again she refused.
“She responded to everyone that questioned her with things like… ‘it’s history, it’s still happening now’ etc.
“I asked her several times to leave and she refused. As things escalated with the public the police were called – they were very helpful, said it wasn’t illegal but warned her that what was happening wasn’t advisable and she should be careful that it doesn’t escalate to incitement since people were so very clearly offended.
“So she stayed for the rest of the day sadly while customers to the market continually came to me asking if this was acceptable – and I’m assuming they were asking her directly too.
“I apologised to everyone who came to me and reassured them that she would not be at the market again.
“I can only apologise wholeheartedly to any visitors to the market who were offended by this trader and her artefacts. Please be assured she will not be back and what she was selling is not in any way a reflection of the way the market does business.”
