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Saturday 26 April 2014

Anti-fascist campaigners stage protest outside Thor Steinar, North Finchley

Times Series: Anti-fascist campaigners stage protest outside store associated with neo-NazisAnti-fascist campaigners stage protest outside store associated with neo-Nazis

Pulses rose during a heated protest against a “disturbing” clothing store which has links to neo-Nazi groups in Germany.

Anti-fascist campaigners gathered outside the one Viking Thor, which opened in in Ballards Lane last month, to put pressure on its owner to shut up shop.

It is an outlet for Thor Steinar, which has been was in Germany for using similar symbols similar to those worn by the Nazi SS men.

Echoes of “hey ho, Thor Steiner has got to go” travelled down the North Finchley street and passing motorists beeped their horns in support. Gary McFarlane, who organised the protest, told the Times Series: “It sends out an awful and disturbing message as it helps make the fascist movement more respectable and acceptable.

“We need to keep protesting otherwise its going to undo all the good work in stamping this out in the last 50 years. By exposing them, we’re knocking them back.

“They’re hiding the real essence of their politics behind a fashionable brand of clothing. It’s a disgrace.”

Undeterred by the rain, around 30 people from different cultures gathered outside the shop to show their support for the campaign.

They held placards bearing the words 'racist shop not welcome here - Thor Steinar has got to go'

The shop was closed during the protest.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis is based a few doors away, as is the Islamic Association of North London, a mosque which serves the large local Muslim population.

Mr McFarlane, who lives in Clyde Road, Tottenham, will hold another protest next week and is urging Jewish people to get involved.

He added: “We got our message across yesterday, but we need to do more. The ideology behind this is awful.

“We don’t want nazism to wake up again but shops like this contribute to the problem. We must stop that.”

The store’s owner, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Times Series he did not understand the controversy around the brand and denied its links to the far-right.

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