A high school basketball coach from Aurora, Colorado has been suspended indefinitely after his blatant display of antisemitism at a game between his team and players from Denver Academy of Torah (DAT).
The Lotus School of Excellence coach identified only as “Coach O,” hung a Palestinian banner on the railing near the court, alongside a spread-out keffiyeh, during the game.
“Coach O” also refused to shake the hand of the opponent coaches at the close of the game, as is customary.
DAT requested a meeting with Lotus the next day. It’s not clear whether “Coach O” was suspended with or without pay, nor why the school did not fire the coach for his actions.
“We stand for inclusion, we value diversity,” Lotus School of Excellence secondary principal Ermek Bakyt told CBS News and other local media following the incident.
Torah Academy parents who were at the game, however, told local media that it sure didn’t seem that way.
“I was there, and this was despicable,” the parents said. “Our kids were so well behaved in spite of atrocious behavior of the other school, cheer led by coaches.”
One parent sent a letter to Lotus, the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHASSA) about the incident.
“Symbols with connections to terrorism, like the keffiyeh, must not be normalized in public spaces,” the parent wrote. “Just as the swastika and Confederate flag are rejected due to their violent connotations, the keffiyeh’s role in glorifying terrorism and promoting hatred against Jews necessitates similar treatment … Reports from team members are being compiled regarding taunts and hate statements directed at DAT players during the game.”
“The coach’s single act doesn’t represent what we stand for, our values,” Bakyt maintained, calling the coach’s actions “an isolated incident.”
Speaking for the Jewish Community Relations Council of Colorado, Brandon Rattiner told CBS News that a line is crossed when adults in positions of power use that position to advance a political agenda.
“To use that opportunity, that opportunity being proximate to Jews, to make a statement about geopolitics across the world is really just bad leadership from those coaches,” Rattiner said.
Antisemitic incidents in Colorado rose 199 percent in 2023, according to a 2024 audit by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The figure represents the highest number of such incidents in Colorado in 45 years.
In the final three months of 2023, right after the October 7, 2023 invasion of Israel and massacre by Hamas-led terrorists from Gaza, some 111 antisemitic incidents were reported in Colorado – topping the figures of the previous two years.
The nationwide number of antisemitic incidents in the United States likewise surged to historic levels in 2023, with 8,873 reports, a 140 percent increase from 2022 – the highest level recorded since 1979.
