Online post of California students forming 'human swastika' sparks outrage

A photo of eight high school students forming a "human swastika" on a California football field went viral online last week, spurring an outcry from the Jewish community and political leaders across Silicon Valley.

The social media post showing the students lying on the ground in the shape of the Nazi symbol at Branham High School in San Jose was posted online on December 3, along with a 1939 antisemitic quote from Adolf Hitler calling for the annihilation of Jews. The incident began to garner national attention on Tuesday.

The image was eventually deleted from Instagram, but screenshots remain online, including one posted by a member of the California State Assembly, Gail Pellerin, along with a statement condemning the incident.

Antisemitic incidents

that had been on the rise in the U.S. for years spiked after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas-led militants and Israel's subsequent military offensive in Hamas-controlled Gaza.

The head of the school district of which Branham is a part condemned the post in a statement, calling the swastika "an unmistakable symbol of genocide."

Robert Bravo, superintendent of the Campbell Union High School District, promised parents on Tuesday that the students would be punished, noting that he had "heard from many community members who are sincerely worried that the students involved will not face consequences strong enough to reflect the seriousness of their actions."

But Bravo also said that some had questioned "whether the students should be disciplined at all," while saying that "antisemitism in any form is unacceptable in our district."

"I want to be very clear: the district considers this an instance of hate violence," he wrote. "The district will respond firmly, thoughtfully, and within the full scope allowed by Board Policy and California law."

He was not available late Tuesday to elaborate on his statements.

The San Jose Police were called to the school regarding the matter, according to media accounts. A San Jose police media spokesperson did not immediately respond to calls and emails seeking comment.

"The actions of students who used their bodies to form a swastika, photographed it, and posted it online with their names and a threatening Hitler quote attached, paint a terrifying picture of the hate plaguing our communities," Pellerin, of the State Assembly, said in her post.

Maya Bronicki, an education leader with the Bay Area Jewish Coalition, said the image has rattled the Jewish community.

"These are children," Bronicki said. "I don't know if they are hateful or ignorant, but it represents blind hate."

Branham High principal Beth Silbergeld told students and parents that the post "does not reflect the values of our school and community," and said the incident was under investigation, according to the school's student newspaper, the Branham Bear Witness.

Marc Levine, ADL's Northern California director, said on Tuesday that Branham school administrators have reached out to him.

"We all want to keep hate out of student spaces," he said.

The Jewish watchdog group, the Anti-Defamation League, reported in its annual audit that in 2024 there were more than 9,300 antisemitic incidents across the U.S., marking a 5% increase from 2023 and a 344% increase over the last five years.