Czech cashier with Nazi swastika tattoo fired by Kaufland, could be charged

Tabloid news server eXtra.cz reports that this past Tuesday, photographs and video footage began to spread through Czech online social networks of a cashier at a Kaufland in Prague with a Nazi swastika and other symbols tatooed on her arm. Several hours later, she was fired.

The cashier worked at the Kaufland on U Plynárny Street. A customer filmed her scanning goods with the Nazi swastika clearly in view on her arm.

The cashier, whose nametag reads "Miriam", had other motifs referencing Nazi Germany tattoed on her arm as well, such as a man raising his right arm in the Nazi salute and an image of a gate that was reminiscent of an entrance to a concentration camp. The video was posted to online social networks and spread like lightning.

The customer also complained to the management of the branch. "I didn't like it, so I immediately said something about it," the customer who took the video footage told eXtra.cz.

"I wanted to address it right then, but she pretended it was no big deal," the customer said. "I am very sensitive about such matters."

"I contacted the Kaufland management to ask what they intended to do about it. They connected me with the manager of the branch, who told me she would immediately deal with it," the customer told eXtra.cz.

"Our company strictly rejects the promotion of symbols of that kind in any form. The person concerned was immediately fired and we are considering whether to bring charges against her," Michael Šperla, press spokesperson for Kaufland, told news server Romea.cz in a written statement.

The temporary worker, according to Šperla, had worked there just a brief time in other positions requiring work clothing with long sleeves, and only after she was assigned to work as a cashier, where it is possible to wear short sleeves, did it become apparent that she had been breaking the company's code of ethics. Kaufland apologized for the situation in a statement sent to news server Romea.cz.