A former British soldier has taken down a Nazi swastika flag after receiving backlash from the local community.
Billy Brown had the red, white, and black flag flying in the back garden of his home in Walker, Newcastle. The 81-year-old's neighbours reported that they were disgusted by his decision to fly the flag on Monday (August 22).
A local resident also said they could hear German music being played in Billy's home during the late morning and early afternoon. The song, known as Erika, was a marching song composed in the 1930s and was used by the German military, Chronicle Live reports.
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One neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "He's always got different flags but that is the first time I've seen a Nazi flag. I'm in complete and utter shock. I'm disgusted."
Another local resident, who did not want to be named, said: "Other neighbours are as disgusted as I am, it gives the street a bad name as we’ll all be tarred with the same brush. Walker is a lovely mix of people so there will be a lot upset at seeing this bigoted flag. They have been singing loudly songs in German but, as I do not speak German, I do not know if they were Nazi songs or something else."
A third person, who lives nearby, added: "That's wrong. He can't be doing things like that no matter how old he is. It's offensive - it's naughty, it's very naughty." Since World War II, the swastika has become synonymous with the Nazi party which, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, committed a high number of atrocities and was responsible for the Holocaust.
Billy, who claims he was in the British Army for six years and served in Germany, said he put up the controversial flag for a relative who was interested in history and World War II. He adds that the flag was posted through his door by an unknown person.
The former soldier checked to see if flying a Nazi flag in Britain was banned by searching the internet - after finding out it was legal, he made the decision to put it up. Billy, who has lived at the address for 49 years, said: "The flag was pushed through the letter box one Saturday.
"I was a bit concerned I would upset people. I was worrying with it being a dodgy flag - and it doesn't get much more dodgy than that.
"If it had been banned I wouldn't have done it. I'm going off what somebody said on the computer." He added: "I put different flags up. It's something to do. I had a Sierra Leona one, I've just took it down. I have got storage boxes, about three or four of them, and I just pick one out."
While Billy enjoys putting up a variety of flags from all over the world, he explained that he would never put up a Union Jack. When asked why, he replied: "With the state of this country, you're kidding?".
After becoming aware that his neighbours were unhappy with the Nazi flag, he decided to take it down around lunchtime on Tuesday. He said: "I'll still fly my flags but this one is definitely gone. I'll put it in a black bag."
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