Singer Justin Bieber has been accused of making Nazi motions but his fans have come to his defense.
Jewish reporter Judah Ari Gross posted a video of Bieber during a performance in Finland.
“Justin Bieber, who’s apparently still a thing, decided to goose-step and do a sieg Heil at a concert in Finland yesterday. The Conference of European Rabbis denounced his actions and demands an explanation,” Gross tweeted.
He added, “Will he repeat the performance when he comes to Israel this fall?”
Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, responded to the incident in a statement to The Times of Israel.
“The famous singer slapped the faces of millions of Jews across the world when he chose to perform the ‘sieg heil’ movement that symbolizes identification with Nazi party values,” Goldschmidt said.
He added, “It is unthinkable that a singer with tens of millions of fans and followers around the world allows himself to adopt such conduct on European soil soaked with the blood of millions of Jews and other minorities, who were brutally murdered by the Nazi oppressor.”
Other users took to Twitter to defend Bieber.
One user tweeted, “This is the most ridiculous tweet and accusation. Justin is clearly just lifting the mic to the crowd as he stops across the stage and back.”
The tweet continues, “And if the old Rabbis of Europe were truly offended, then it’s the old Rabbis who need educating.”
Another tweeted, “Ladies and gentlemen this tweet is from a journalist incase you every wonder why there’s so much fake news.”
Check out more reactions below:
https://twitter.com/JesseKellyDC/status/1557409401006325765
A representative of Nidar Oz Communications told the Times, “These are dance moves…Dance moves are meant to entertain. Not everything has to do with the Jewish people, with all the love we have for ourselves.”