A small plane carrying a banner with a swastika flew above Coney Island beaches over the weekend as part of an annual effort by the International Raelian Movement to resurrect it as a symbol for good instead of its hated representation of Nazi racism.

Among other beliefs, Nazis espoused racial purity and the desire to create the Aryan superman through eugenics and extermination of other groups, especially the Jews.

The effort by the Raelian group sparked the expected outrage.

“It’s a very chilling image, in light of the fact that southern Brooklyn has the largest remaining number of World War II and Holocaust survivors,” said Councilman Mark Treyger, D-Brooklyn. He told the New York Daily News that he had received several complaints over the aerial display.

According to its website, the Raelian Movement believes that scientists came to Earth and “created all forms of life, including human beings, whom they created in their own image.” The extraterrestrials picked a messenger, Rael – born Claude Vorilhon on Sept. 30, 1946 in France – to prepare the way for the arrival of the scientists from outer space.

The Raelian Movement every year tries to remind people that before the Nazis, the swastika – a peace sign and a Star of David – was an ancient symbol of well-being to Hindus and Buddhists, among others.


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