Germans Investigated After Rolling Out Nazi-Like Tank Float for 'Defense' Against Asylum-Seekers

German police are investigating revelers who brought a Nazi-style tank float emblazoned with the words “asylum defense” to a town’s traditional carnival parade.

The English-language website The Local reported that the mock Tiger tank decorated with the Balkenkreuz bar cross symbol associated with the German military during World War II elicited criticism by social media users who weren’t amused.

Nicht lustig. #Fasching im Landkreis #Pfaffenhofen: https://t.co/TkGhMwMmLW via @donaukurier pic.twitter.com/XnhzB8liqa

— Matthias Meisner (@MatthiasMeisner) February 7, 2016

International Business Times reported that actor and local counselor Florian Simbeck posted on Facebook that the display demonstrated "stupidity, baseness and inhuman attitude of some parties."

Organizers of the parade said that they do not hold far-right attitudes and that some refugees even took part in organizing the event, The Local reported.

German media quoted a police spokesman who said the “tank” was allowed to roll through town, even though it might have offended some, because they didn’t want to block artistic freedom.