Photographs from 2018 appear to show Barnsley’s Andy Arnold with a symbol on his forearm interpreted by some as a swastika, though his wife insists it is a Buddhist peace symbol
A Reform councillor has been photographed displaying what appears to be a swastika tattoo on his arm – though his spouse insists it’s merely a Buddhist peace symbol.
Recently elected Barnsley councillor Andy Arnold was spotted with what looks like a small Nazi emblem etched onto his arm in a collection of photographs shared on a public Facebook group over nearly ten years.
Nevertheless, Mr Arnold’s wife, Theresa, who is also a Reform councillor, maintains that the tattoo is actually a misinterpreted Buddhist peace symbol.
The marking is visible on Mr Arnold’s forearm in at least three pictures uploaded to the Facebook page for a business called Taattoo, in Wombwell, South Yorkshire, which is registered to Theresa Arnold.
In the photographs, which stretch back to 2018, Mr Arnold, who was elected to represent Wombwell on May 7, appears wearing a sleeveless top while tattooing clients.
The design is evident on his upper arm, with the final photograph captured in 2024, and the images triggered a flurry of online condemnation when they surfaced this weekend. It is believed that Mr Arnold has since concealed the tattoo with fresh ink work.
Addressing speculation that the tattoo depicted a swastika, Mrs Arnold stated: “The only context I can provide is that, in his late teens, my husband briefly explored Buddhism and had a symbol tattooed on his arm during that period.
“He has never been involved with, supported, or held views associated with Nazism or any extremist ideology. The tattoo was later covered because the symbol was frequently misunderstood and people incorrectly associated it with something entirely different from its original religious context.
“Unfortunately, the meaning was often misinterpreted without understanding the background behind it. There is no wider story here beyond a youthful decision connected to a short-lived interest in Buddhism.”
Reform UK have been approached for comment.
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