Concerns over the public display of Nazi symbols force the council to refuse filming permission

Plans to film a major war movie starring Nicolas Cage in East London have been abruptly halted after a local council refused permission over fears that Nazi symbols would be openly displayed in public.

Waltham Forest Council confirmed it turned down a request to use its town hall as a filming location for the upcoming film Operation Fortitude, citing concerns about the visibility of swastikas and other Nazi-era imagery during the shoot.

The production would have required the Grade II-listed civic building to be dressed with flags bearing the swastika as part of a historical recreation. The film is based on the real-life Allied deception operation carried out in 1944 to mislead Nazi Germany about the timing and location of the D-Day landings in Normandy.

Council officials initially agreed to consider the request under strict conditions. These included a requirement that the production company consult with nearby residents in advance and ensure that any Nazi symbols used for filming would not be visible to the public.

However, the council said those conditions were no longer met after the production schedule was suddenly changed.

According to a council spokesperson, the filming was moved forward from October to 15 September with little warning, leaving insufficient time to carry out the agreed consultation with the local community.

The council said it was particularly concerned after learning that letters sent out by the film’s location team explicitly stated that Nazi symbols would be “highly visible” during filming. That directly contradicted earlier assurances given to the council, officials said.

“We were very disappointed when the shoot was abruptly brought forward,” the spokesperson said. “This prevented the level of consultation previously discussed and agreed.”

They added that the highly sensitive nature of Nazi iconography, especially amid ongoing concerns about far-right extremism, left the council with no alternative but to refuse permission.

“Because of these significant changes that did not honour our agreed conditions, and given the high level of sensitivity to far-right iconography, we felt we had no other choice than to refuse permission,” the spokesperson said.

As a result, no filming permit was ever granted for the project. The council confirmed it did not collect any location fee and that no compensation was paid to or requested by the filmmakers.

The decision brings an end to what could have been a high-profile shoot in the borough, with the town hall temporarily transformed to resemble a Nazi-occupied European setting.

While Operation Fortitude focuses on Allied intelligence efforts rather than glorifying the Nazi regime, the council’s stance reflects heightened caution around the public display of extremist symbols, even in a historical or artistic context.

The move also highlights the challenges faced by film productions seeking to recreate sensitive historical periods in densely populated urban areas. Local authorities are increasingly weighing cultural value against community impact, particularly where imagery linked to hatred or violence is involved.

Waltham Forest has not indicated whether it would consider future filming proposals involving similar subject matter, but officials stressed that community consultation and strict controls would remain essential.

For now, the film’s producers will need to find an alternative location, while the council stands by its decision as one made in the interests of public sensitivity and local trust.