Reform councillor seen with ‘Swastika tattoo’ but his wife claims it is Buddhist peace symbol

A Reform councillor has been pictured sporting an alleged swastika tattoo on his arm – but his wife claims it’s just a Buddhist peace symbol.

Newly elected Barnsley councillor Andy Arnold was seen with what appears to be a small Nazi symbol inked on to the his arm in a series of photographs posted to a public Facebook group, spanning almost a decade. However, Mr Arnold’s wife, Theresa, who is also a Reform councillor, claims that the tattoo is actually a misunderstood Buddhist peace symbol.

The inking can be seen on Mr Arnold’s forearm in at least three pictures posted to the Facebook page for a business called Taattoo, in Wombwell, South Yorks., which is registered to Theresa Arnold.

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In the images, which date back to 2018, Mr Arnold, who was elected to represent Wombwell on May 7, can be seen wearing a vest top, whilst tattooing customers. The inking can be seen on his upper arm, with the last photo taken in 2024, and the images sparked a wave of criticism online when they emerged this weekend.

It is understood that Mr Arnolds has since covered the tattoo with a new inking.

Responding to speculation that the tattoo was of a swastika, Mrs Arnold said: “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.

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“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 contacted by SWNS for comment.