The Anne Frank Trust UK has labeled the marketing of Anne Frank ‘costumes’ for Halloween distasteful and denigrating to her memory.
The trust noted that the image of a genocide victim alongside ghoulish costumes trivialised genocide.
“We urge parents or teenagers with a mind to buying this costume not to do so, but to think instead about Anne, and the three million other children who died in the Holocaust,” said Lucy Glennon, Director of Strategy for the Trust.
“Anne is relevant today because prejudice still exists. As a teenage girl I can put myself in her shoes and I can see her point of view and how she was affected.
“Through the Anne Frank Trust I’ve learned how to stand up to prejudice, how to prevent it happening and how to spread a positive message.”
The Trust honours Anne’s memory with respect, love and a commitment.
During the recent National Hate Crime Awareness Week figures showed a 29% surge in reported hate crimes.