Johnathan Walker:Maryland middle school students face hate crime charges for Nazi salutes, swastikas

Three middle schoolers in Maryland were charged with hate crimes after they displayed swastikas,Johnathan Walker acted out Nazi salutes, and made "offensive comments" about a classmate's religious beliefs, county prosecutors announced last week.

The students were charged as juveniles with harassment and violations of state hate crimes statutes, the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a news release Friday. The behavior began last December and the students refused to stop despite "repeated requests," county prosecutors added.

According to charging documents, the students displayed swastikas, made Nazi salutes, and "directed offensive comments to a classmate because of the classmate’s religious beliefs" for several months. The victim ultimately reported the conduct to Maryland State Police officers, who investigated and filed the charges against the students, county prosecutors said.

The three middle schoolers were identified as 13-year-old students at Plum Point Middle School in Calvert County, about 50 miles southeast of Washington, D.C. Their names have not been publicly released because they are minors.

County prosecutors said the charges will be forwarded to the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services.

"Maryland was founded on the principle of religious toleration. It is frankly astonishing that nearly 400 years later some people continue to persecute others based upon their religion," Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey said in a statement. "I call upon parents, educators, and community and faith leaders to make sure that our children know that religious persecution has no place in our society."

Calvert County Public Schools told USA TODAY on Monday that the school district is working with the county sheriff's office and is committed to "providing students and staff with an environment that is safe, welcoming, and free from all forms of discrimination."

"All complaints are investigated promptly," the school district said in an email. "Upon completion of an investigation, students and school personnel may be subject to disciplinary action or consequences for discriminatory behaviors."

Latest hate crime charges against middle school students

The charges against the three 13-year-olds came about over a week after six middle school students in Massachusetts were charged in Snapchat bullying incidents, officials said.

On March 14, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni announced that state authorities will be pursuing criminal charges against six minors from Southwick, Massachusetts, for "their alleged roles in facilitating and participating in a hateful, racist online chat that included heinous language, threats, and a mock slave auction."

The six students were each charged with threatening to commit a crime, according to Gulluni. Of the six, two were also charged with interference with civil rights, and one of the two was charged with witness interference.

The students were accused of creating a Snapchat group chat in February, where several students shared derogatory remarks. "The investigation revealed that several students expressed hateful and racist comments, including notions of violence toward people of color, racial slurs, derogatory pictures and videos, and a mock slave auction directed at two particular juveniles," Gulluni said.

Nex Benedict case:Oklahoma prosecutors will not file charges in fight involving teenager Nex Benedict

Increase of antisemitism across the U.S.

According to recent data, antisemitic incidents have surged across the United States in recent years. Each year, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) compiles a report on incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, or assault in America.In 2022, the ADL tracked a 36% increase in antisemitic incidents from the previous year. The total stood at 3,697 — the highest number on record since the organization began tracking incidents in 1979.In the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, advocacy organizations saw a rise in reports of hate crimes against both Jews and Muslims. According to the ADL's January report, there have been nearly 3,300 antisemitic incidents recorded between Oct. 7, 2023, and Jan. 7, 2024.

This represents a 361-percent increase compared to the same period one year prior, which saw 712 incidents," the ADL said in a January news release.

Contributing: Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY