School board removes person making Nazi salute

An individual who gestured and uttered a Nazi salute after another individual made public comment at the Birmingham Public Schools board of education meeting on Tuesday, August 17, was removed by Beverly Hills police at the direction of board president Lori Ajlouny and superintendent Dr. Embekka Roberson, they reported to the school community on Wednesday, August 18.

“Last evening at our regular board of education meeting, a member of the audience gestured and uttered a Nazi salute after an individual made public comment. This occurred in the presence of audience members, including people of color and the Jewish faith. At our direction, the Beverly Hills Police Department immediately removed this individual from the building during the meeting,” Ajlouny and Roberson wrote. “Birmingham Public Schools emphatically denounces and will not tolerate any act of racism, disrespect, violence, and/or inequitable treatment of any person, including actions and statements made at board of education meetings.”

They said the incident was also erased from the video recording on the district's YouTube channel.

“Board of education meetings are held for the board to conduct district business, and to give members of the public the opportunity to share their thoughts with trustees. However, this must always be done in a climate of mutual respect, recognizing that there will be differences of opinion, especially on issues as complex as the current pandemic,” they communicated. There had been information discussed regarding mandatory masking for students while Oakland County has a substantial amount of transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

The Beverly Hills police department is investigating the incident.