A viral photo of a San Jose student lying on a high school football field forming a human swastika has caused riots in Silicon Valley neighborhoods and sparked outcry from the Jewish community.
Photos of eight Branham High School students were posted on social media Wednesday along with Adolf Hitler’s 1939 anti-Semitic quote. The post has since been deleted and condemned by local leaders.
“Our message to the community is clear: This was a disturbing and unacceptable act of anti-Semitism. Behavior that targets, demeans or threatens Jewish students has no place on our campus,” Beth Silbergeld, the school’s president, said in a statement to The Times. “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 in the incident have been identified, but their names will not be released due to federal law.
However, she said the matter has been referred to the San Jose Police Department and the district plans to work with the Anti-Defamation League, the Bay Area Jewish Federation and the Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council to address the fears caused by the incident.
Jewish students at the school and their parents expressed disbelief.
“I’m really scared and my identity feels threatened right now,” a Jewish senior at the school who spoke on condition of anonymity told Northern California Jewish News.
“There are people in my school who think they can get away with it. To me, knowing that is really, really scary.”
