Nazi soldiers: 1940s festival in chaos after locals clash with group dressed up Nazis - is 88 a Nazi number?

The organisers of a 1940s style festival are now facing calls to ban people wearing Nazi uniforms after shocking scenes show clashes between locals and a group who were donning SS costumes.

The men were confronted by locals on Sheringham High Street in Norfolk after a resort was hosting a Second World War-themed weekend. In order to stop the situation escalating, they had to be escorted out of the area by police.

The event, which is annual, saw around 25,000 people attend. Among those were a group of at least ten men in Nazi-era German uniforms, including some with SS markings on their collars, as well as badges featuring the ‘death’s head’ symbol and swastikas.

Their presence clearly angered locals, with many onlookers actually telling the group they were not welcome. Event marshals stepped in to ask the men to leave. Officers said one man had reported being assaulted.

This incident has now prompted calls to ban Nazi uniforms and the town council has agreed to discuss proposals to make the event Allied-uniform only.

Mike Keller, who lost family members in the Holocaust and whose father escaped Nazi Germany in the Kindertransport, was among those appalled by the sight of the uniforms.

He said: "It was a lovely family atmosphere and very friendly, when suddenly from nowhere there were 10-15 men dressed in authentic SS uniform literally marching in unison. It was deeply offensive. These men were not milling about and blending in among people. They were marching and making a demonstration. It was frightening.

"My father was from a Jewish family who lost his parents and brothers and sisters in death camps. He was fortunate to escape with my uncle via Kindertransport, so having to see this with my son was mortally offensive and a disgraceful act."

Is 88 a Nazi number? 

According to the anti-defamation league (ADL), “88 is a white supremacist numerical code for "Heil Hitler." H is the eighth letter of the alphabet, so 88 = HH = Heil Hitler”.