New West shop criticized for carrying Nazi collectables
Posted September 3, 2012 6:32 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
NEW WESTMINSTER (NEWS1130) – A New Westminster shop owner is under fire for having Nazi memorabilia in his shop and it’s upsetting some members of the Jewish community.
If you take a look in Westley Military Surplus, you’ll find everything from camouflage clothing to authentic Nazi gas masks.
Pauly Benton, the store owner, is Jewish and has no problem with the merchandise.
“These are items that there is a demand for,” he explains. “It’s a part of history that should not be forgotten.”
Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt isn’t comfortable with it.
“Those things really belong in a museum, they belong in the hands of public trustees who ensure they remain part of an education system,” he says.
Benton says he has no intention of removing the items, which can also be ordered from his website.
