A WOMBWELL councillor defended her husband and fellow ward member this week over claims that he has a swastika tattoo reiterating that it is actually a Buddhist symbol.

Shortly after being elected, Coun Andy Arnold became the subject controversy after images of him from 2018 were circulated of him with the tattoo.

During a debate on the council’s No Place For Hate pledge at yesterday’s meeting which was subsequently shot down Coun Brandon Green asked the pair why they were laughing during a speech given by Coun Alex Burnett about an incident where swastikas were drawn on trees.

Speaking on behalf of her husband who was sat next to her, she said: “He had a Buddhist symbol on his arm that’s his freedom of choice.

“On his other arm he still has the Star of David which has half been removed because of anti-Semitism from the opposition.

“He has a pentagram and a cross that is his freedom to have them because they represent people who he knows and their beliefs.

“The only hatred I can see from this house is you (pointing at the opposition) because you have chosen to take it at what you thought it was.

“I said it was a Buddhist symbol.

“You chose not to accept it, the people on Facebook chose not to accept it.

“Please act like normal adults and stop giving out this hatred.”