Jewish leaders condemn video of schoolgirl giving Nazi salute

Jewish leaders have condemned shocking footage of a Melbourne high schoolgirl impersonating Adolf Hitler inside a classroom.

The video shows a senior student being filmed performing a Nazi salute while donning a drawn-on mustache that resembled the dictator’s distinctive facial hair.

A laptop playing a German song can also be seen in the video as the student stands with her arm extended.

Another student, believed to be filming the video, can be heard laughing in the background.

The video, obtained by the Anti-Defamation Commission, is believed to have been filmed for another student’s birthday.

ADC chairman Dr. Dvir Abramovich said the student seen in the “sickening and ugly” video should be punished by the school.

“This is the modern face of Holocaust abuse in Victorian public schools, and this growing climate of antisemitic hostility has made many Jewish parents wonder whether sending their kids to class every morning is safe,” Dr. Abramovich said.

“This young person, who deliberately and proudly desecrated Holocaust memory and tore up the values of respect and inclusivity, must be disciplined since it is hard to believe that they did not know about Hitler’s extermination of six million Jews and millions of others.”

“I can’t imagine the pain the grandchild of a Holocaust survivor would have felt if they had walked in on the filming or had seen the video later.”

A Department of Education spokesman told the Herald Sun any antisemitic behavior in schools was distressing and taken extremely seriously.

“We work closely with the Victorian Jewish community to strengthen our zero-tolerance approach to anti-Semitism,” he said.

“Victorian schools have access to a range of programs that have been co-designed with the Jewish community to address antisemitism – including the Courage to Care initiative, learning programs delivered in partnership with the Melbourne Holocaust Museum, and a dedicated hotline for schools, students and parents to report racism.”

The girl’s school has been contacted for comment.