The incidents of Nazi salutes and swastika vandalism at a Larnaca lyceum cannot be brushed off as “reckless teenage behaviour” or yet another “youthful misdemeanour,” nor, of course, as an isolated episode of school misconduct.
The evidence and complaints coming to light paint a picture of organised, long-term activity that raises serious questions about society’s and our institutions’ resilience against extremism. This is undoubtedly a serious social and educational alarm bell that concerns not just one school, but society as a whole.
The fact that final-year students appear to be organising themselves, recruiting their peers, circulating Nazi material on social media and vandalising school premises with symbols of hatred shows we’re not simply talking about individual aberrations or stupid teenage acts. We’re talking about a dangerous normalisation of extreme ideologies that find fertile ground amongst the young, often through the internet, confusion and the absence of meaningful historical and political education.
The Nazi salute and the swastika aren’t “symbols of rebellion,” nor a game for photos. They’re directly linked to the murder of millions of people, to the Holocaust, to the annihilation of peoples and to the darkest page in European history. When these symbols appear on school walls, the problem isn’t just disciplinary. It’s profoundly moral.
The reaction from organised parents, making clear that ideologies of hatred have no place in schools, is both obvious and necessary. The same goes for political condemnation of such phenomena. However, responsibility cannot be exhausted merely through statements of revulsion or isolated punishments. The investigation by the Ministry of Education is essential, but it’s not enough if it isn’t accompanied by substantive interventions.
School isn’t simply a place of learning—it’s primarily a place where conscience is formed. If the history of fascism and Nazism is taught in fragments or formulaically, with no connection to today, then a void is left that’s easily filled with misinformation, hatred and “tough guy” posturing. Education must teach respect for diversity, critical thinking and democratic memory. And when schools fail, society as a whole pays the price.
Therefore, society cannot afford to underestimate such phenomena. On the contrary, it must recognise that extremism doesn’t appear suddenly out of nowhere. It’s born and cultivated through gaps, indifference and the absence of dialogue with young people. Tolerance of hatred, even when expressed by minors, acts as fertiliser for it to take root. And history has shown, in the most agonising and bloody way, where that road leads. And if this phenomenon isn’t addressed as a deep social problem, then the “egg” won’t crack—it’ll keep hatching. And then the consequences won’t be confined to the walls of one school.
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