Brussels bus driver dismissed for Nazi tattoos

A Brussels bus driver working for the Stib for 26 years has been dismissed after it emerged he had several Nazi tattoos.

The man, who had no passenger complaints to his name, kept the tattoos covered up until he turned up to a staff party at Auderghem depot this summer in a sleeveless vest.

His tattoos reportedly include the figure 88, shorthand for Heil Hitler, the Third Reich's black eagle emblem and the letters SS.

Colleagues secretly took photos, which ended up being sent to the president of the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism, who in turn alerted the Stib's chief executive.

A Stib spokeswoman said: "These symbols are not at all in keeping with the values of our company. We respect freedom of expression, but having these kinds of tattoos at work is unacceptable."

Displaying Nazi symbols can lead to prosecution for inciting hatred. In this instance, the Stib says it will not be filing a formal legal complaint.