Latvian city unveils Christmas decorations with swastika-like symbols
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The symbol has been displayed in Latvia's folk culture for centuries, and as always, has sparked many controversies over its resemblance to the Nazi swastika.
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Christmas tree
Latvia unveiled on Tuesday decorations for its Christmas holiday season this year.
It received heavy backlash over its decoration of Ugunskrusts, which is a symbol in Latvian folklore that very much resembles the swastika in nazi Germany.
The symbol has been displayed in Latvia's folk culture for centuries, and as always, has sparked many controversies over its resemblance to the Nazi swastika.
Latvian government has decided to create a rather strange Christmas tree with strange religious symbols.
— LogKa (@LogKa11) November 29, 2022
Anyone know what they mean? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/0QHZ9UKjBH
The city administration's press office clarified on Facebook that the decorations were simply portraying Latvian culture.
"This year, the Christmas tree in Lielvarde is lit up in Lielvarde belt motifs," the message reads.
In 2006, the Ugunskrusts sparked rows of debates during a NATO summit in which organizers and craftsmen were asked to avoid knitting the symbol on the 4500 mittens made as gifts for the delegates.
Read more: Italy, Austria, Germany oppose resolution to combat Nazi glorification
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
