A photo of San Jose students lining up in a “human swastika” on a high school football field went viral on social media and referenced Adolf Hitler’s anti-Semitic rhetoric, sparking outrage in the local community.
On Wednesday, December 3, a public school student who attends Branham High School shared a photo of eight Branham High School students lying on their backs forming a swastika for the first time on Instagram. J. Northern California Jewish News the report said.
According to reports, the German title of the post refers to an infamous speech delivered by Hitler in 1939, in which he claimed that “international financial Jewry” had succeeded in “plunging countries into a world war” and threatened to “annihilate the Jewish race in Europe.”
The anti-Semitic post, which was removed on Friday, was condemned by school officials and local leaders.
“Our message to the community is clear: This is a disturbing and unacceptable act of anti-Semitism. Behavior that targets, demeans or threatens Jewish students has no place on our campus,” Chancellor Beth Silbergard told the school Los Angeles Times in a statement.
Eight students from Branham High School were photographed forming a “human swastika”, sparking outrage from the local community (Google)
“Personally, I am appalled by this behavior. Professionally, I am confident and hopeful that our school community can learn from this moment and emerge stronger and more united.”
Silbergard said the students involved have been identified, but their names have not been released due to federal law.
California Sen. Dave Cortez (D-San Jose) also reacted strongly to the incident, writing in a statement: “I am deeply disturbed by the discovery of an anti-Semitic ‘human swastika’ at Branham High School.”
Cotes added: “Acts of hate, wherever they occur, can have a profound impact on our young people, our families and the wider community. There is absolutely no place for anti-Semitism or bigotry of any kind in our schools or in our society.”
Although the original post has been deleted, the disturbing images remain on social media.
Jewish students and their parents expressed shock and disbelief at the incident.
“It’s crazy to me to think that someone in my school is going around quoting Hitler,” a senior Jewish student at the school told me. J.
Another elderly Jewish person told the media that the incident left her shocked and frightened.
“I’m really scared and my identity feels threatened right now,” she said. “There are people in my school who think they can get away with it. To me, knowing that is really, really scary.”
The Jewish mother of a ninth grader also told J. Her son recognized at least one of the students in the photo.
“I’m scared because I don’t feel like my son is safe at school,” she told J. “I am a second generation Holocaust survivor and I get goosebumps when I see this photo.”
The investigation has been turned over to the San Jose Police Department.
The district also plans to work with the Anti-Defamation League, the Bay Area Jewish Federation and the Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council to address students’ fears following the incident.
