Former Schoolmates of Nigel Farage Dismiss 'Banter' Claims Amid Allegations of Racist Abuse
More than a decade after The Guardian first revealed the alleged history of racist and antisemitic abuse by former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage at his school, three of his ex-pupils have come forward to reject his claims that the incidents were merely "banter". Stefan Benarroch, who is Jewish and two years below Farage in school rankings, described Farage's attempts to downplay the severity of the abuse as "rubbish", adding, "He was such a gentle soul and Farage – Farage made his life a fucking nightmare."
Rickard Berg, another former classmate, corroborated Benarroch's account. The 24-year-old recalled how Ettedgui, now an Emmy- and Bafta-winning director, would be subjected to abuse while attending Jewish services during school hours. "He was such a gentle soul and Farage – Farage made his life a fucking nightmare," Berg said in response to the alleged abuse.
Farage has claimed that allegations of racist behavior towards fellow students were part of a broader debate on immigration and have been unfairly misrepresented by those criticizing him. The former UKIP leader denied directly abusing anyone, suggesting instead that people had been targeted for their race or ethnicity due to disagreements over the topic.
Cyrus Oshidar, another former classmate who claims Farage regularly used racial slurs and made jokes about Hitler during school hours, said: "He wasn't the only one saying it. But he was the only one in Dulwich saying it regularly." The 24-year-old dismissed Farage's assertion that those speaking out against him were not telling the truth, labeling this as an example of a familiar antisemitic trope.
The Guardian has spoken to over 20 people who alleged racist or antisemitic behavior by Farage at school. Seven claim they recall targeted abuse aimed specifically at Ettedgui, with one former pupil recalling how Farage would sing along to a song calling for the "gas" of all Jews during a school assembly.
More than a decade after The Guardian first revealed the alleged history of racist and antisemitic abuse by former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage at his school, three of his ex-pupils have come forward to reject his claims that the incidents were merely "banter". Stefan Benarroch, who is Jewish and two years below Farage in school rankings, described Farage's attempts to downplay the severity of the abuse as "rubbish", adding, "He was such a gentle soul and Farage – Farage made his life a fucking nightmare."
Rickard Berg, another former classmate, corroborated Benarroch's account. The 24-year-old recalled how Ettedgui, now an Emmy- and Bafta-winning director, would be subjected to abuse while attending Jewish services during school hours. "He was such a gentle soul and Farage – Farage made his life a fucking nightmare," Berg said in response to the alleged abuse.
Farage has claimed that allegations of racist behavior towards fellow students were part of a broader debate on immigration and have been unfairly misrepresented by those criticizing him. The former UKIP leader denied directly abusing anyone, suggesting instead that people had been targeted for their race or ethnicity due to disagreements over the topic.
Cyrus Oshidar, another former classmate who claims Farage regularly used racial slurs and made jokes about Hitler during school hours, said: "He wasn't the only one saying it. But he was the only one in Dulwich saying it regularly." The 24-year-old dismissed Farage's assertion that those speaking out against him were not telling the truth, labeling this as an example of a familiar antisemitic trope.
The Guardian has spoken to over 20 people who alleged racist or antisemitic behavior by Farage at school. Seven claim they recall targeted abuse aimed specifically at Ettedgui, with one former pupil recalling how Farage would sing along to a song calling for the "gas" of all Jews during a school assembly.
. Three ex-pupils of his have come forward and they're telling a different story - one of racism and antisemitism 
. It's crazy how he tries to downplay the severity of it all, calling it just 'a joke'. Newsflash Nigel: using racial slurs is never funny 
. And what's with him saying people were targeted because of disagreements over immigration? That's not a debate, that's a hate speech 
. The fact that 20+ people have come forward with similar allegations is proof that something was seriously wrong at Dulwich College 
. We need to believe the victims and hold those who abuse their power accountable 
. Can't we all just be more honest about what really happens?
. It's pretty rich that he's trying to call out the "antisemitic trope" when his own history speaks for itself 
. And what's with all these people coming forward now? You'd think they would've spoken up sooner, especially if they were so fed up with him... I guess you could say his school days have finally caught up to him 
.
. I don't know how many times we need to hear this before people start holding those in power accountable for their actions 
. It's one thing to disagree with someone but another thing entirely to make your own classmates' lives a living hell 
. The fact that these guys are coming forward and speaking out is exactly what we need more of 
.
. The fact is, if you're making jokes about Hitler and using racial slurs during school hours, that's not "debate", that's just hate speech 
i remember when my friends were going through some drama in school and they said that Farage was being super insensitive about it but i didn't think much of it now that i know more about what really went down... it's crazy how one person can be so hurtful to others. i feel bad for Benarroch, Berg, and Oshidar who had to deal with that kind of abuse at school 
As the past comes back to haunt Nigel Farage, it's hard to ignore the pain he caused his former classmates. It's not about "banter" or a "broader debate", it's about being part of something that's unacceptable and hurtful. When someone tries to downplay their role in making others feel like they're walking on eggshells, it just highlights how deep-seated their mistakes are. The fact that multiple people have come forward with the same stories is a testament to the fact that this isn't just some isolated incident. It's time for Farage (and those around him) to take responsibility for their actions and make amends.
I'm really disappointed but not surprised that Nigel Farage is trying to downplay the severity of his past behavior 
. The fact that some of his former classmates are still coming forward with their stories is a testament to the power of speaking truth to power 
. And Rickard Berg corroborated the story too. It's wild that Farage thinks people are misrepresenting him when really they're just telling the truth. Cyrus Oshidar's point about not being alone in saying it is fire 
. Anyway, 20+ people came forward with these allegations and now it seems like Farage got some serious 'splainin' to do 
. It's clear that his friends are trying to protect him, but it's not going to change the fact that he's been accused of making Jewish students feel uncomfortable and targeted for their faith 
what if he had told ppl about this in school? maybe things would've changed but instead he just kept it on the down low 
and now its 20+ yrs later and ppl are finally speaking out 
I'm not buying into all the outrage over this one... 
.
. We need more people speaking out against racism and antisemitism, not trying to silence those who have been affected by these issues 
. Maybe it'll help him understand the impact of his words (or lack thereof) on others 
.
! they're sayin he was a total jerk and used racial slurs all the time 
. anywayz, lets just say i got more faith in these 3 ex-pupils who r speakin out than i do in farage 
. Farage's trying to spin it as just 'banter' and deny any wrongdoing, but I think he's just trying to deflect from his own racist behavior in the past 
? The fact that there are 20+ people coming forward with similar allegations just proves that there's more to this story than Farage is letting on 
Nigel Farage's claim that it was all "banter" is just mind-blowing... I'm sure Stefan, Rickard, and Cyrus must be relieved that some of their voices are being heard now.