Direct School-Era Antisemitic Taunts
Allegations of explicit antisemitic language at Dulwich College (1978–1982), including Holocaust references and Nazi chants.
The Allegation
Allegations claim Nigel Farage, as a teenager at Dulwich College (1978–1982), used explicit antisemitic language and intimidation, including taunts like "Hitler was right," "gas them" (with hissing sounds imitating gas chambers), and "gas 'em all" chants, often targeting Jewish pupils such as Peter Ettedgui and Stefan Benarroch. More than 30 former classmates and teachers corroborated these in 2025 reports, supported by teacher Chloë Deakin's 1981 letter documenting staff concerns over "racist and neo-fascist views" and Hitler Youth songs at cadet camp (Deakin reaffirmed this in her 28 December 2025 Guardian interview). Farage denies any malice or targeted abuse, describing claims as politically motivated or misinterpreted "banter"; some contemporaries recall no such behaviour. These allegations point to early overt prejudice, resurfacing amid 2025 scrutiny and calls for apology from Holocaust survivors, the Attorney General, and 26 classmates.
Why This Is Antisemitic
This form of antisemitism directly references Nazi ideology and Holocaust mechanisms, which systematically murdered six million Jews during World War II. Phrases like "Hitler was right" endorse the Führer's genocidal policies, while "gas" chants evoke the Zyklon B poison used in death camps like Auschwitz, where over a million Jews were gassed. Historically, such taunts trace to Nazi propaganda that dehumanised Jews as subhuman, justifying extermination; post-Holocaust, they revive denial or minimisation, correlating with surges in hate crimes during conflicts (e.g., post-Gaza attacks on Jewish communities). Framing as "banter" dismisses the trauma, undermining accountability and allowing prejudice to persist.