Youth Who Wore Swastika Charged

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31142, 19 August 1966, Page 7

Youth Who Wore Swastika Charged

A youth who arrived at the Central Police Station wearing a red arm band with a swastika on it, was charged in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday with offensive behaviour.

He is Graeme Jordan, aged 17, a labourer, who pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Mr E. A. Lee, S.M., found that the charge was proved but the matter of penalty was adjourned to November 10 with a view to discharge without conviction if the defendant’s behaviour has been satisfactory.

Sergeant R. G. Gargett said that Jordan, accompanied by two other youths, arrived at the Central Police Station at 1.45 p.m. on June 17 to present his driver’s licence for inspection. Jordan was wearing a bright red arm band with a swastika on it. He ■»lso had swastikas painted on his leather boots and jacket. Persons were looking at Jordan as he approached the station.

Jordan was taken into the and Insnector R P. Silk instructed him to remove the arm band from Jordan. said Sergeant Gargett He cut the arm band off with a pair of scissors. Inspector Silk then instructed him to take two of the youths into the yard to remove the painted swastikas from their clothing. Jordan said that he had seen photographs of “Hell’s Angels” from the North Island and wanted to be associated with them. The youths turned out their Dockets at his request and he found a round metal disc with a swastika on it which he confiscated. The names and addresse' of the youths were taken and they were escorted out of the station. In reply to the Magistrate. Sergeant Gargett said that the defendant and his comnanions had been co-opera-tive. Jordan said that the first time he was aware that the arm band was attracting attention had been when Insnector Silk first spoke to him. The inspector gave them a dressing down in the watchhouse. Inspector Silk had said tc him “I’m not having ‘Hell’s Angels’ in my town” and had tried to rin off the arm band? Jordan said. When asked by Detective- ! Sergeant D Porteous what he thought the swastika meant Jordan replied: “Hitter is no better mate of mine than he is of yours.” Jordan said he had beer told the swastika had been ? good luck sign in a Mediterranean country. “It doesn’t seem to have been very effective,” said the Magistrate. Giving his decision, the Magistrate said that millions suffered atrocities at the hands of people wearing thi c emblem. He was convinced tb’t many people would be hitterlv resentful, and to we-r such an emblem in a public place would cause offence.

He felt that Jordan wore the arm band only for exhibitionism and did not ally himself with a party it represented, the Magistrate said.