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Local authorities in Yogyakarta have seized toys imported from China featuring “communist” symbols over fears they may encourage children to explore communism, citizendaily.net reported.

Officials from the district military command in Bantul, Yogyakarta, confiscated 27 toys bearing Soviet flags and hammer-and-sickle motifs.

Lt. Col. Kavaleri Tumadi of the Bantul command said most of the sellers were unaware of the meaning behind the symbols and were not attempting to indoctrinate local children.

“But we’re worried that the symbols could be attractive to our children over time. If that happens, then the ideals could enter their minds,” Mr Kavaleri said. He encouraged sellers to be more vigilant when ordering stock.

The seizures come in the wake of increased crackdowns of public discussion of the 1965-1966 military-led anti-communist massacres, which led the deaths of up to two million suspected communist sympathizers.

The ongoing crackdown, on the 50th anniversary of the purge, has seen the internationally renowned Ubud Writers and Readers Festival forced to cancel a string of events on the topic after pressure from local authorities.

Central Java police last month forced a university-based magazine to destroy all copies of an edition featuring articles about the massacre.