Toronto, Ontario - A religious sect that believes the swastika was hijacked by the Nazis will try to "remove the negativity attached to it" at the Gay Pride parade Sunday.
Members of the Quebec-based International Raelian Movement will staff an information booth at the annual event in the hopes of raising awareness of "the true meaning of the swastika, which is more positive," Diane Brisebois, a spokeswoman for the Raelians told QMI.
"For religions like Jainism and Buddhism, the swastika represented luck, well-being, harmony and peace," Brisebois said. "When people think of the swastika, they immediately think of the Nazis and we want to change that."
The Raelian symbol features a swastika intertwined with two overlapping triangles that form a six-pointed star.
Brisebois expressed disappointment that the group was not allowed to participate in the parade, but said the Raelians are planning to hold a parade next year "to reclaim the swastika."
Claude Vorihon, the founder of the IRM, says he was hiking in the French woods in 1973 when a UFO landed, and an alien explained to him the true origins of mankind.