Alan Schmegelsky said that his son took him to an Army Surplus store eight months ago in his hometown of Port Alberni, B.C., and that Bryer was excited about the Nazi items there.
"I was disgusted and dragged him out," Schmegelsky told Canadian Press. "My grandparents fled the Ukraine with three small children during the Second World War."
[...]
Despite his son's fascination with the items, Schmegelsky said he didn't believe Bryer identified as a neo-Nazi.
"He thought he was Russian. Germans are their enemies," he said.
But Evan Balgord, executive director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, wonders why someone who relates to Russia and communism — as has been reported elsewhere — would covet Nazi items.
[...]
Alfred Bergkvist, owner of "A" Company, said he didn't recognize the red Nazi armband, but that his store does stock Hitler Youth knives identical to the one in the photo.
He recalled that two boys came into his store about three weeks ago and bought one of the replica knives inscribed with the German words for "blood and honour."
"They were really excited about it," he said, adding he didn't know whether the pair were Schmegelsky and McLeod.