Finland is set to phase out swastikas from the flag of the country’s Air Force, which a handful of unit flags still use the symbol that’s associated as a hate symbol.
Since Finland joined NATO, the country has been removing the symbol from its remaining flags, largely to avoid awkwardness with its Western allies.
Finland has been using a swastika as a symbol associated with the Air Force in a time before Nazi Germany used the symbol for hate. However, the symbol has raised eyebrows among NATO allies and tourists who spot them at military events.
The Head of Karelia Air Wing Air Defence Force, Tomi Böhm, explained, “We could have continued with this flag, but sometimes awkward situations can arise with foreign visitors. It may be wise to live with the times.”
A spokesperson of the Air Force commented that the move was “to update the symbolism and emblems of the flags to better reflect the current identity of the Air Force.”
Image: Simon Butler, Wiki Commons