A disturbing video showing a group of high school students from California giving the Hitler salute and singing a Nazi song has sparked outrage.
The boys seen in the clip are the players of the school’s water polo team and the video was shot at an awards ceremony.
The shocking footage shows at least ten teenage students of the Pacifica High School in Garden Grove looking towards the podium as they perform the racist act.
The clip was posted by one of the students on Instagram, captioned with the lyrics of a German Nazi song written by Herms Niel, a member of the Nazi party.
The tune isn’t easily available and experts believe that it points to an ‘acquired knowledge’ of Hitler’s Nazi Germany.
Professor Dr. Peter Simi, an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Chapman University told Daily Mail: “It’s not something you’d expect somebody to accidentally know about.
“Are they on websites or web forums or other social media platforms where they’re engaging with others informed on these issues?”
Dr. Simi added that he was unable to identify the exact song because of the poor quality of the audio of the clip. The video has now been taken down and the involved students have not yet been identified.
There’s not been any official statement from the school itself.
The Garden Grove Unified School district told The Daily Beast that the school administration became aware of the matter but there’s no confirmation of any disciplinary action being taken against any of the involved students.
A spokesman for the school district said: “While the district cannot comment on student discipline, the school did address this situation with all involved students and families.”
One parent, however, has shown concern about the video not having brought to the notice of the general public while it was viral among youngsters.
According to The Daily Beast, a student of the school said that the matter was not discussed openly, and that he was not sure about what type of action did the school take against the offenders.
Director of the Orange County’s chapter of Anti-Defamation League, Rabbi Peter Levi, said that the incident ‘requires investigation and conversation.’
The school board gave a statement saying that the school district “adheres to strong policies about harassment and cultural sensitivity, and we condemn all acts of anti-Semitism and hate in all forms.”
A spokesperson for the board added: “We remain focused on educating students about cultural sensitivity and are committed to holding students accountable, educating them on the consequences of their choices, and the impact these actions have on our schools and community at large.”