Conservatives suspend student activist involved in Hitler moustache photo row
2 min read
The Conservatives have suspended an activist who appeared in a photo containing offensive references to the oppresion of Jews in Nazi Germany.
Tory chair Brandon Lewis blasted the behaviour by the Plymouth University Conservatives group as “totally unacceptable”, as he vowed the party would investigate the member involved.
The picture, revealed by the Daily Mirror, showed a group of students on a night out wearing t-shirts with slogans including “f*** the NHS”.
One sported the word "Jude" and a Star of David on their neck - the religious symbol used to identify Jews in Nazi Germany - while another wore a Hitler moustache.
Another is seen with a message about “Trump” while another wore a slogan involving “Enoch" – likely to be a reference to the former Tory MP Enoch Powell, famous for his anti-immigration ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech.
The party’s chairman tweeted that the Tories would take "appropriate action" following an investigation.
A spokesperson for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: “These were disgraceful scenes. We hope that the investigation will be swift and that firm action is taken against any party members involved.”
The university students’ union said it had suspended the association, pending an investigation.
In a statement, it said: “We totally condemn behaviour of this kind along with all forms of racism and anti-Semitism.”
Plymouth University said it “does not tolerate anti-Semitic or racist behaviour under any circumstance and will take disciplinary action in line with our procedures in the event of incidents such as this”.
One of the activists was later pointed out to Tory MP Johnny Mercer on Twitter as having campaigned for him.
The Plymouth Moor View MP responded: “My powers of predicting when someone is going to be a d***head eluded me for a moment.”
Mr Mercer had earlier called for the "idiots" involved to be barred from the party for life.
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