Basingstoke couple launch campaign to remove swastikas and other hate tattoos free of charge

A couple from Basingstoke have set up an initiative to remove swastikas and other extremist tattoo images from clients’ bodies free of charge.

Hayley Allen and Richard De’Ath from Cliddesden, laser practitioners who reside just south of Basingstoke, said that they wanted to help people who got hate tattoos by mistake and do not want them anymore.

Ms Allen, of the Hayley Aesthetic & Laser Studio, told Campaign Against Antisemitism that the initiative was “A great opportunity to give people the chance to get rid of mistakes”.

Whilst Ms Allen initially felt “A bit anxious about it because of the subject,” she has been heartened to receive positive responses to her announcement.

Ms Allen said that when asked by a man to remove his swastika tattoo, she said: “I’m very used to dealing with people from all sorts of backgrounds so not a lot shocks me, and if something did shock me, it’s just about not letting that be seen.

“He was embarrassed by it, and he’s an older guy now…I think it was a younger, stupid mistake.”

Ms Allen continued: “I’m not very judgmental of people, and I do believe that everyone should have the option to change any mistakes that are made. I wasn’t shocked, I wasn’t disgusted or insulted or anything. And that again is why we decided to do the campaign. We want people to have the option to change and I’m not going to discriminate against them.”