Nazi memorabilia fuels BP condemnation
OFFENSIVE Nazi memorabilia has been removed from a service station at Kew, 30km south of Port Macquarie.
A tourist of Jewish heritage noticed Nazi flags, insignias and other items for sale at the BP Legends Cafe during a recent trip to the North Coast.
The organisation representing the state's 50,000-strong Jewish community later complained to the owner of the business, saying it could promote racial hatred.
A spokesman for BP Australia, Chandran Vigneswaran, said his company instructed the cafe's owner to remove the merchandise from the shelves on Friday.
"BP Australia was utterly appalled that this kind of merchandise was being sold from a service station that carries the BP brand," Mr Vigneswaran said.
"We have instructed the owner of the site to remove this merchandise immediately and we understand that this has now happened.
"We will monitor the site to ensure that this type of activity does not occur again.
"If it has been found that the independent owner and operator of the site continues to sell any offending merchandise, we will take immediate and severe action."
This would mean BP ends its relationship with the business.
He said the service station was not owned or operated by BP Australia.
It is owned and managed by an independent fuel distributor that has been licensed to carry the BP trademark.
The cafe's owner did not comment to the Port News when contacted yesterday.