• Forums
  • Shop
  • Best Laptops
  • Best Graphics Cards
  • Best Motherboards
  • Best Antivirus
  • Best VPN
  • Xbox Series X
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. News
  4. /
  5. Microsoft News
a bad look

GitHub allegedly fired Jewish employee who warned co-workers about Nazis

Microsoft-owned GitHub allegedly fired a Jewish employee after they warned people about Nazis.
Sean Endicott
13 Jan 2021

GitHub logoSource: GitHub

What you need to know

  • GitHub allegedly fired a Jewish employee after the employee warned co-workers about Nazis.
  • The fired employee reportedly posted "stay safe homies, Nazis are about" on the day of the siege on the U.S. Capitol.
  • Roughly 200 GitHub employees have signed a letter asking for the company to take a stance against anti-Semitism and white supremacy.

A Jewish former employee of GitHub was allegedly fired following warning co-workers about Nazis on the day of the siege on the U.S. Capitol. According to Business Insider, the employee posts "stay safe homies, Nazis are about" on the day of the attack on the Capitol (via The Verge).

The message reportedly caused conflict among GitHub employees. One member of GitHub's staff criticized the message for divisive language, and GitHub's HR team reportedly chastised the employee for the use of the word "Nazi." Two days after the alleged comment, GitHub reportedly fired the employee. Upon the alleged termination, GitHub reportedly cited vague patterns of behavior.

Following the alleged firing, around 200 GitHub employees have signed a letter asking the company to take a stance against white supremacy and anti-Semitism. The letter also asks why the employee was fired.

"The company is actively looking into the circumstances surrounding the separation of an employee last week and will take any and all appropriate action following a thorough investigation," said GitHub CEO Nat Friedman.

The employee that was fired has relatives in co-workers in Washington, DC, and had family members die in the Holocaust. The employee states that they saw that some rioters were associated with neo-Nazi groups.

Thousands of people were involved in the attack on the U.S. Capitol, and at this point, authorities are still determining which groups and individuals were involved. Several reports claim that white supremacy and neo-Nazi groups were at the attack.

Among the terrorists invading Capitol today was a man (left) wearing a sweatshirt saying, "Camp Auschwitz":@mikedebonis pic.twitter.com/NxhjdPqXBG

— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) January 7, 2021

The former GitHub employee post on Slack before his account was deactivated, stating:

I did not know that, as a Jew, it would be so polarizing to say this word. We grew up saying [Nazi]. It was a story we told because we had to— the decimation of whole lines of ancestry were at the hands of people who went by that title.

GitHub is owned by Microsoft, which acquired the developer platform in 2018. Microsoft President Brad Smith spoke about the peaceful transition of power on January 4 but was met with pushback by people highlighting politicians that received donations from Microsoft's PAC. Microsoft has since paused political donations.

HP's new Omen 16 gaming laptops are faster and more feature-laden than ever
Super cool

HP's new Omen 16 gaming laptops are faster and more feature-laden than ever

HP today announced refreshed Omen 16 gaming laptops for 2022. They're available with Intel or AMD CPUs, as well as AMD and NVIDIA GPUs.

The must-play Xbox games releasing in 2022 and beyond
Release radar

The must-play Xbox games releasing in 2022 and beyond

What's coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One in the future? Here are the biggest and brightest games we're looking forward to.

All the Xbox Game Pass games coming and leaving soon
New Game Pass

All the Xbox Game Pass games coming and leaving soon

Xbox Game Pass is constantly evolving with new games joining the service all the time. Keep track of everything coming and going from Xbox Game Pass with our comprehensive guide.

Find the best compact GPU for your next Mini-ITX PC build
Mini monsters

Find the best compact GPU for your next Mini-ITX PC build

If you're building a small form Mini-ITX PC, you'll want a compact GPU to fit. Here's our selection of the best graphics cards for your next pint-sized powerhouse.

Keep in Touch

Sign up now to get the latest news, deals & more from Windows Central!

I would like to receive news and offers from other Future brands.

I would like to receive mail from Future partners.

No spam, we promise. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details without your permission.

  • Microsoft News
  • GitHub
  • Windows 11
  • Windows 10
  • Laptops
  • Surface
  • Reviews
  • Gaming & Xbox
  • How To
  • Forums
  • Deals
  • PC Components

Other Categories

  • About Us
  • Licensing and Reprints
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter
  • Windows Central Merch
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Android Central
  • iMore
  • Thrifter
  • TechnoBuffalo
  • MrMobile
Log in or Sign up
  • t
  • f
  • p
  • i
  • r

Brightness

  • © Future US, Inc.
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Licensing
  • External Links Disclosure
  • Accessibility Statement
  • © Future US, Inc.
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Licensing
  • External Links Disclosure
  • Accessibility Statement