PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A Palm Beach County employee has been fired following a swift internal investigation that confirmed he made repeated Nazi salutes and antisemitic statements to a Jewish driver during a road rage incident while operating a county vehicle.
The termination comes as the local Jewish community prepares for the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and amid what leaders call a troubling rise in hate incidents. According to the Anti-Defamation League, Florida ranks fourth in the U.S. for antisemitic incidents, with Palm Beach County leading the state.
WATCH: Palm Beach County employee fired over Nazi salutes in road rage incident
Victim: 'A deeply painful incident'
Lesser, Landy, Smith & Siegel told WPTV via email that they are representing the driver who was allegedly subjected to an antisemitic gesture and remark by a "Palm Beach County Building Department employee during a traffic encounter in Boca Raton."
The driver, who wishes to remain anonymous, released a statement detailing the encounter and thanking the county for its decisive action.
"I want to thank Palm Beach County Human Resources for its swift and thorough investigation into this deeply troubling incident. I appreciate the seriousness with which the County treated my concerns and its decisive action in terminating the employee involved.
While attempting to turn into a shopping plaza, I accidentally pulled in front of a County vehicle. I immediately lowered my window and apologized to the driver. This unintentional traffic mistake quickly escalated into an encounter involving profanity, references to Hitler and repeated Nazi-style gestures. As a Jewish man whose family lost loved ones in the Holocaust, this conduct was deeply personal and has had a profound impact on my sense of safety and the well-being of my family.
No one should be subjected to antisemitic hatred, especially by someone operating an official government vehicle. My hope is that this deeply painful incident reinforces our shared responsibility to confront antisemitism and ensure hatred has no place in our community."
Community leaders applaud county's response
Jewish community leaders and local lawmakers are praising the county for its handling of the investigation.
"We just deeply appreciate how seriously the county administrator and the commissioners from Palm Beach County... took this event," said Michael Hoffman, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. "They took swift, decisive action to ensure that this individual did not meet the standards and ethics and values of what Palm Beach County represents."
State Rep. Debra Tendrich echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the need for accountability.
"Palm Beach County needs to show that there's zero tolerance for hate and antisemitism, especially from the county employees," Tendrich said. "We have to hold the people who are actually committing these offenses accountable."
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