Newport Harbor High vandalized with Nazi posters following outrage over students’ swastika party

A week after being rocked by social media postings of area students doing a Nazi salute and arranging beer pong cups into the shape of a swastika, Newport Harbor High School was vandalized by Nazi posters last weekend.

The posters were placed at the school Saturday night or early Sunday, according to Annette Franco, a spokeswoman for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. School officials reported there were at least 10 fliers, each 8 by 11 inches, some bearing swastikas.

School administrators called police when the posters were noticed and then took them down, Franco said.

In a statement to parents, Newport Harbor Principal Sean Boulton wrote: “Again, we condemn all acts of anti-Semitism and hate in all their forms. We will continue to be vigilant with our stance and the care of our students and staff.�

During Tuesday night’s district board meeting, trustees are expected to discuss a proposal to form a human relations task force to develop a plan to inform students, parents and educators about racism and other bigotry.

Meanwhile, some Newport Harbor students placed messages on campus Monday encouraging kindness.

“Show kindness toward unkind people. Forgive people who don’t deserve it,� one message read.

“Kindness is free. Sprinkle that stuff everywhere,� read another.

Amid outrage over the photos, community forums on the subject were held last week at Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar high schools, a unity rally and vigil were held in Costa Mesa, and 89-year-old Eva Schloss, whose father, brother and stepsister Anne Frank died in the Holocaust, met at Newport Harbor High with a group of students involved in the controversial photos taken at an off-campus party March 2 in Costa Mesa.

Students said the party was attended by teenagers from Newport Harbor, Costa Mesa and Estancia high schools.

Los Angeles Times staff writer Hannah Fry and Daily Pilot staff contributed to this report.

UPDATES:

This article was originally published at 7:30 a.m. and was later updated with additional information and comments.