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Wednesday, May. 1, 2024

Did a pro-Palestine protester chant “Heil Hitler” at UW-Madison Jewish students?

Rachel Hale, Wisconsin Watch
no

On April 29, a man agitated a group of Jewish students and a Hillel staff member standing near the University of Wisconsin-Madison pro-Palestine encampment and did a raised-hand Nazi salute toward them, but did not shout “Heil Hitler.”

Multiple UW-Madison Jewish students and encampment organizers who were at the scene confirmed to Wisconsin Watch that the agitator was not affiliated with the demonstration group and didn’t shout the Nazi slogan.

Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany, who represents northern Wisconsin, claimed in an April 30 social media post based on an inaccurate Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report that pro-Palestine protesters chanted “Heil Hitler” at UW-Madison students.

Students said they were standing peacefully when the man approached them and started sharing his thoughts on the war.

In a video from the incident, the man admits to doing the salute. UW police are investigating. A police spokesperson confirmed the salute was reported, not the slogan.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch

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