A viral photo of San José students forming a “human swastika” on their high school’s football field – posted on social media with an antisemitic quote from Adolf Hitler – has sparked outrage among the local community.
The picture of eight Branham High School students lying on their backs forming a swastika was first shared on Instagram on Wednesday, December 3, by a student who attends the public school, J. The Jewish News of Northern California reported.
The post was captioned, in German, with a quote from an infamous speech Hitler made in 1939 that claimed “international financial Jews” succeeded “in plunging nations into a world war,” and threatened “the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe,” according to the report.
The antisemitic post, which was deleted by Friday, was denounced by school officials and local leaders.
“Our message to the community is clear: this was a disturbing and unacceptable act of antisemitism. Actions that target, demean, or threaten Jewish students have no place on our campuses,” school principal Beth Silbergeld told the Los Angeles Times in a statement.
“Personally, I am horrified by this act. Professionally, I am confident and hopeful that our school community can learn from this moment and emerge stronger and more united.”
The students involved in the incident have been identified, but their names have not been made public due to federal law, Silbergeld said.
California State Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) also shared a strong reaction to the incident, writing in a statement, “I am deeply disturbed by the discovery of the anti-Semitic ‘human swastika’ at Branham High School.”
Cortese added: “Acts of hatred—no matter where they occur—have a profound impact on our young people, our families, and our broader community. There is absolutely no place for anti-Semitism, or any form of bigotry, in our schools or in our society.”
While the original post was taken down, the troubling image still exists across social media.
Jewish students and their parents have expressed shock and disbelief over the incident.
“It was just insane to think that there were people at my school that went around quoting Hitler,” one Jewish student who is a senior at the school told J.
Another Jewish senior told the outlet the incident has left her feeling shaken and scared.
“I was really scared, my identity feels threatened right now,” she said. “There are people at my school who think they can get away with this. And for me, that was just really, really scary to know.”
A Jewish mother of a ninth-grade student also told J. that her son recognized at least one of the students in the picture.
“I’m afraid because I feel that my son is not safe at school,” she told J. “I’m a second-generation Holocaust survivor, and I have goosebumps seeing this picture.”
The investigation has been turned over to the San José Police Department.
The school district also plans to work with the Anti-Defamation League, the Bay Area Jewish Coalition and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Bay Area to address student fears in the wake of the incident.
