Toronto (October 18, 2019) – Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) has taken action after receiving reports that up to 15 boys in a Vancouver private school were found to belong to a neo-Nazi Facebook group.

According to news reports, St. George’s school has expelled some Grade 10 students and suspended others for their participation in the racist group.

FSWC has contacted the school to commend it for taking decisive action against those students who participated in racist and antisemitic behaviours and/or activities. FSWC has offered its anti-hate educational programs to St. George’s students, teachers and administrators, and has requested full details of an investigation being launched by the BC Ministry of Education.

“We are glad to see any school send a strong message to its students that hate will not be tolerated,” said Avi Benlolo, President and CEO of FSWC. “At the same time, it is more than alarming that a racist group involving so many students was ever operating in the first place. We expect to see a thorough investigation of what went on here and we hope St. George’s will commit itself to making lasting changes so that nothing like this ever happens again.”