Fishkill man's Nazi salute in teens' video goes viral; mother of teen speaks out
"What inside of him would possess him to do that to two young girls?" the mother of one of the teens said. "I'm sure he wouldn't have done that to an adult. He wouldn't have done that to someone like me."
A Fishkill man who went viral for interrupting two teens' TikTok video shoot with a Nazi salute is staying silent while the mother of one of the teens is speaking out.
Oris Jenkins said her 16-year-old daughter and her friend were shooting a dance video at Saturday's village block party when the man video-bombed them with the gesture meant to pledge allegiance to Adolf Hitler.
Jenkins said her daughter told her older sister, who was also at the block party, what happened.
"She then proceeded to tell my [older] daughter this individual asked her, 'Do you know what this means?'" Jenkins told News 12 on Friday over the phone. "He said, 'Well, post this on social media.'"
Jenkins' daughter had a tough time at school the following Monday, Jenkins said, fielding questions about the incident from other students and even the principal.
Jenkins also feels for the school-aged children of the man who flashed the viral Hitler salute.
News 12 is not naming the man at this time.
"His children have to go to school to be around brown, Black, Jewish and Muslim people," Jenkins said, "and at the end of the day, how does he want his children to be treated?"
Jenkins said she and her daughter appreciate the numerous statements put out by public officials and advocacy groups condemning the man.
"Targeting children to propagate symbols of genocide and terror is a pathetic attempt to intimidate," the Jewish Federation of Dutchess County said in a press release, "and it has no place in Dutchess County."
Fishkill Town Councilman Brian Wrye said his constituents are getting tired of the negative attention that has made "Fishkill Nazi" a trending internet search. He said it is the responsibility of the man who flashed the hateful gesture to repair the situation.
"I think he needs to step up, put it down, address it," Wrye said Friday morning. "It is what it is. You can't escape the situation. So it's time for him to come forward."
Jenkins agrees and she has questions.
"What inside of him would possess him to do that to two young girls?" she said. "I'm sure he wouldn't have done that to an adult. He wouldn't have done that to someone like me."
Jenkins is asking people only to share a blurred version of the video, like the one shown in News 12's newscast and website. She said she wants more people to know what happened, but she also wants to protect her daughter's identity.
News 12 called several listed numbers for the man in the video, went to his home, and even called his workplace, seeking comment. He has not responded.
Jenkins said the man has not reached out to apologize.
