After 11 years selling antiques, Janice Danker of Shelton, WA said she had a first Wednesday: death threats.
“I've had phone calls that say they're going to kill me, blow my brains out,” said Danker, owner of Shelton's Games and Needful Things.
Danker is selling a Nazi flag. She says is from World War II.
She's selling it for one of her consignment customers who claims the flag was brought back to the United States following the war.
The flag is on display on a wall with a $375 price tag. Danker said she recently lowered the price to $275.
She considers it another antique.
“It's terrible what happened,” said Danker, “But it's a part of history, and if we don't want people to forget that and have it keep happening, we need to remember it.”
Someone posted a picture of the flag on Facebook Tuesday night. By Wednesday morning, the photo generated dozens of comments.
While some supported Danker's decision to sell the flag, others called it a symbol of hate. At least one commenter called for violence.
“Let's just burn the store down,” one Facebook post read.
“When I found out that people were threatening her, I got really upset,” said a Shelton mother named Laura, who didn't want her last name published.
Laura shared the picture on Facebook saying she didn't want to take her children to the store if the flag was on display.
“It's hurtful to people,” said Laura, “You don't want to walk in and see that. It's like it hits you in the side of the face.”
Danker said Laura's post, the threats, and intolerance she's seen on Facebook has prompted her to keep the item for sale and hanging on her wall, even if it hurts business.
"I've had a lot of people say they're still going to support me because they know it's not meant in the manner she was portraying it," said Danker.
