The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County (HMTC) commends tennis player Alexander Zverev for his courageous and upstanding reaction during the U.S. Open in Forest Hills this past week during his match against Jannik Sinner. When a fan made a pro-Hitler remark, Zverev immediately reacted in a responsible and upstanding way. The fan was singing a line out of Hitler's national anthem, 'Deutschland über alles', translated as 'Germans are a superior race.' Following the Allied victory in World War II, the song was banned.
Zverev immediately demanded that the fan be removed from the stands, stating that such behavior was unacceptable. The fan was ejected from the stadium, and Zverev went on to triumph over Sinner.
His swift and decisive action sends a powerful message that hate speech and bigotry have no place in our society. HMTC stands in solidarity with Zverev and all upstanders who refuse to tolerate such intolerant behavior. We must continue to speak out against all forms of hate speech and bigotry and hold those who perpetrate it accountable. Let this be a reminder that we must all do our part to promote respect, kindness, and inclusivity in everything we do.