'Swastika' ride closed by German theme park

Attraction's operators say they did not notice resemblance to Nazi emblem until videos were posted on social media

A theme park ride in Germany has been shut down after complaints that it looked like a pair of spinning swastikas.

The operators of the "Eagle Fly" apologised and said they had not noticed the attraction’s resemblance to the Nazi emblem until seeing footage on social media.

A spokeswoman for Tatzmania theme park near the town of Loffingen in Germany's south western Baden-Wurttemberg state confirmed to The Independent the ride was no longer operating.

The attraction, which consists of two sets of spinning carriages separated by a metal arm, had only opened at the end of July.

Director Rudiger Braun said no visitors had complained but he took the decision to close the ride after online posts in early August drew attention to the unfortunate likeness.

He told regional broadcaster SWR he wanted to “apologise to anyone who feels disturbed or offended by our design”.

The attraction is to be redesigned before it reopens to the public.

Displaying the swastika is illegal in Germany.

Exhibiting Nazi emblems can be punished with prison terms of up to three years under laws which prohibit the “use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations” for reasons other than art, science, research or teaching.