Edward Tomasz Napierała, a senior research software engineer, also called antisemitism a ‘fake problem’
April 30, 2025 15:11
The University of Cambridge has said it is investigating one of its senior researchers who called the Chief Rabbi an “Israeli Nazi”, described October 7 as an “act of resistance”, and said antisemitism is a “fake problem”.
Edward Tomasz Napierała, a software engineer in the department of computer science and technology at the top institution, made the comments on his public X account.
In one post from April 2024, Napierała – whose LinkedIn says he has worked at Cambridge since 2017 – equated “Jews in 2024” with “German Nazis in 1945”.
“Do you know how Nazis argue about differences fascism and Nazism? You’re doing it now,” Napierała wrote in response to another X account.
“Everyone know [sic] what you did. Jews in 2024 are German Nazis in 1945. Your children will have to live with this stigma. And some of you will, hopefully, get hunted like German Nazis did.”
The JC was alerted to the researcher’s online activity by investigative research group Gnasher Jew.
In a tweet from June 2024, Napierała called the attacks of October 7, 2023, which saw around 1,200 killed and 250 taken hostage, “an act of resistance”.
Edward Tomasz Napierała tweeted that the attacks on October 7, 2023, were an 'act of resistance' (Image: X/@etnapierala)[Missing Credit]
In several other tweets, he compared Hamas’ massacre to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 – the largest uprising by Jews during the Second World War.
"German Nazis used Warsaw Ghetto Uprising - October 7 of its day - to justify Shoah. You’re using the same playbook, I see #NeverAgain,” he posted in April 2025, in response to a tweet by the National Jewish Assembly.
In a post on X from August 2024, Napierała, who is also a developer for the FreeBSD operating system, called Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis an “Israeli Nazi”.
Edward Tomasz Napierała called the Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, an 'Israeli Nazi'. (Image: X/@etnapierala)[Missing Credit]
Napierała was responding to a tweet by Rabbi Mirvis calling for the safe return of the hostages still being held captive by Hamas, with a video attached of him and the Israeli ambassador to the UK at an event in London.
A graphic comparing the Star of David to a Swastika. (Image: X/@etnapierala)[Missing Credit]
“Not a word about thousands of Palestinians kidnapped by Israel,” wrote Napierała. “How do you explain it, other than you being just another Israeli Nazi?”
Edward Tomasz Napierała reposted the graphic on his X account. (Image: X/@etnapierala)[Missing Credit]
Alongside his tweet, the Cambridge researcher attached a graphic drawing a visual comparison between the Israeli flag and the flag of Nazi Germany.
In one post from October 2024, he shared a graphic comparing Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, to Adolf Hitler. The text “we are God’s chosen people” accompanies Netanyahu’s photo, while “we are the master race” accompanies a photo of Hitler doing the Sieg Heil salute.
A comparison between Benjamin Netanyahu and Adolf Hitler. (Image: X/@etnapierala)[Missing Credit]
A year later, in April this year, he accused the Board of Deputies of ignoring the “second Holocaust happening in Gaza” and being no different from “other Holocaust deniers”.
He reposted a tweet from October 2024, captioned: “Zionist Israel has the distinction of carrying out the most technologically advanced genocide in human history. Hitler would have been jealous.”
The tweet was accompanied by photographs drawing a comparison between prisoners in the Dachau concentration camp and Palestinians being lined up in Jabalia.
Last week, Jewish News tweeted about an article on the election of Matt Wrack – a hard-left supporter of Jeremy Corbyn who has previously dismissed “so-called antisemitism” in Labour – as the new leader of the NASUWT teaching union.
In response to the tweet, Napierała said: “He was absolutely right - almost all cases of alleged antisemitism are made up.
“It’s a fake problem invented to deflect discussion away from genocide - and of course for you to get more money from donors.”
Edward Tomasz Napierała called antisemitism a 'fake problem' (Image: X/@etnapierala)[Missing Credit]
In one tweet from April 25 this year, in response to a tweet by Tzipi Hotovely, the Ambassador of Israel to the UK, commemorating the death of Holocaust survivor Eve Kugler BEM, he called Hotovely the “Nazi ambassador”.
Edward Tomasz Napierała called Tzipi Hotovely, the Ambassador of Israel to the UK, a 'Nazi' (Image: X/@etnapierala)[Missing Credit]
In response to a tweet by the official Yom Hashoah UK (Holocaust Remembrance Day) account about Phil Rosenberg - the president of the Board of Deputies - making a recital on the day, he called him a “disgusting Nazi pig”.
Edward Tomasz Napierała called the President of the Board of Deputies a 'disgusting Nazi pig' (Image: X/@etnapierala)[Missing Credit]
A spokesperson from the University of Cambridge told the JC: “We are investigating these issues, including the recent developments, under our relevant processes.
“These processes are by their nature confidential so we will not be commenting further.
"The University has zero tolerance of all forms of racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, unlawful discrimination and abuse.
"The University is fully committed to academic freedom and freedom of speech within the law and to promoting a diverse and inclusive community.”
Napierała told the JC: “Israel is committing genocide, and it’s our - everyone’s - responsibility to speak up against it. That’s what ‘Never Again’ is all about. And that’s what I’m doing. Protest needs to be seen to be effective.
“Note that this is all about actions of Israel - the state - and not Jewish people. If you look at my wall you'll likely see whole bunch of posts from anti-genocide Jewish orgs. Even [The Board of Deputies] itself recently (kind of) dissented, and I’d expect more and more organisations to follow suit.”
About the tweet calling for people to get “hunted” like the Germans, Napierała said he was referring to “Israeli perpetrators”, not Jews. In reference to his comments about Rosenberg, he said: “The context here is him pushing Israeli propaganda, declaring ‘Never Again’ while supporting state that’s literally doing it again.” Concerning his comments against the Board, he said: “Again, because of them pushing genocidal propaganda. Also in the recent context of them trying to squash the anti-genocide minority after the FT letter.”
