By: Fern Sidman

A storm of public indignation erupted across South Florida and beyond on Monday as disturbing videos emerged from Miami Beach’s upscale Vendôme nightclub appearing to show patrons chanting pro-Nazi slogans while the venue’s co-owner stood nearby. The revelations, first amplified by social media users reported on Monday by VIN News, have ignited a firestorm of condemnation from Jewish organizations, civic leaders, and elected officials who are demanding accountability.

The controversy centers on footage captured inside the fashionable South Beach hotspot during a private event over the weekend. In the videos, a group of controversial far-right internet personalities—including Andrew Tate, Tristan Tate, and avowed white nationalist Nick Fuentes—are seen singing along to a song by rapper Kanye West titled “Heil Hitler.” The lyrics of the track repeat explicit Nazi slogans and include phrases glorifying Adolf Hitler.

As VIN News reported, what transformed the incident from a grotesque display of extremist behavior into a full-blown civic scandal was the apparent presence of Jonathan Mansour, a co-owner of Vendôme, within close proximity to the group as the chanting occurred. In multiple clips circulating online, a bald, bearded man identified by social media users as Mansour is visible on the club floor while individuals around him perform Nazi salutes and shout inflammatory phrases.

Neither Mansour nor any representative of Vendôme responded to requests for comment from VIN News seeking clarification about his presence, the nature of the event, or the nightclub’s role in permitting such conduct. The silence has only fueled public anger and speculation.

Jewish communal organizations reacted with swift and unequivocal outrage. VIN News reported that leaders from several prominent advocacy groups described the incident as an alarming example of how normalized antisemitism has become in public spaces.

“To see Nazi slogans chanted openly in a mainstream nightclub in Miami Beach is chilling,” one Jewish community activist told VIN News. “This isn’t fringe behavior in a dark corner of the internet—it is happening in real life, in places people go to celebrate and socialize.”

Local officials in Miami Beach echoed those sentiments. City commissioners and municipal leaders issued statements expressing horror and disgust at the footage. According to VIN News, one senior city official described the scenes as “an affront to decency and to the values of our diverse and vibrant community.”

Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner was among those who demanded a full accounting from the nightclub’s management. “Hate speech and antisemitism have no place in our city,” Meiner said in a statement referenced by VIN News. “Businesses that operate here have a responsibility to uphold basic standards of respect and human dignity.”

Under intense pressure, Vendôme released a carefully worded public statement late Sunday night condemning antisemitism and disavowing any association with extremist ideology. The statement, which VIN News published in full, called the incident “deeply disturbing and unacceptable,” and insisted that the views expressed in the videos do not reflect the values of the establishment.

The club announced that it had conducted an internal review and terminated three employees whom it said were connected to the event. Management described the episode as an isolated occurrence that violated the venue’s policies.

“Vendôme is committed to maintaining an environment that is welcoming and respectful to all,” the statement read, according to the VIN News report. “We categorically reject antisemitism, racism, and hate speech in all forms.”

The nightclub also emphasized that its ownership group includes partners from “diverse backgrounds and faiths, including members of the Jewish community,” an assertion clearly aimed at deflecting accusations of institutional tolerance for bigotry.

Yet many critics remained unconvinced. As the VIN News report noted, the core question troubling observers is not merely what happened among patrons, but why the venue’s leadership allegedly allowed it to unfold without intervention.

The presence of Nick Fuentes—a figure notorious for Holocaust denial and white nationalist rhetoric—has particularly alarmed Jewish organizations. Fuentes has been widely banned from major social media platforms for hate speech and has long been considered a pariah even within mainstream conservative circles.

Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer turned internet provocateur, and his brother Tristan have also courted repeated controversy for misogynistic and extremist statements. Their association with Fuentes at a glamorous Miami Beach venue underscores how extremist figures increasingly seek to launder their reputations through celebrity culture and nightlife.

“South Florida has always prided itself on being a melting pot,” one community leader told VIN News. “But this incident shows how easily hateful ideologies can infiltrate spaces that appear glamorous and benign.”

Indeed, the episode has unfolded against a broader backdrop of rising antisemitic incidents nationwide. Data from watchdog groups show record levels of threats, harassment, and vandalism targeting Jewish institutions over the past several years. VIN News has repeatedly chronicled this troubling trend, warning that public displays of hatred have grown bolder and more brazen.

City officials have indicated they are exploring what options exist to hold Vendôme accountable. While the First Amendment protects even repugnant speech in many contexts, businesses that host such behavior may still face consequences ranging from licensing reviews to community boycotts.

Miami Beach’s city attorney is reviewing whether any local ordinances were violated during the event. However, legal experts caution that the threshold for punitive action is high unless explicit criminal conduct occurred.

The court of public opinion, meanwhile, is moving far more quickly. Social media platforms have been flooded with calls to boycott Vendôme, and several high-profile figures in Miami’s Jewish community have vowed never to patronize the venue again.

“We cannot normalize this,” a rabbi in the area told VIN News. “Silence in the face of hatred is complicity.”

Perhaps the most persistent unanswered question is what exactly Mansour knew and when. The VIN News report noted that the footage appears to show him in close physical proximity to the chanting group for an extended period of time, raising doubts about claims that the incident was unforeseeable or beyond management’s control.

If the co-owner was indeed present, critics argue, he had both the authority and the responsibility to halt the display immediately. The absence of any visible intervention in the videos has led many to conclude that at best, management was indifferent—and at worst, tacitly permissive.

Mansour’s refusal to comment has deepened suspicion. Community members interviewed by VIN News expressed frustration that rather than addressing the controversy head-on, the club’s leadership has chosen a strategy of minimal disclosure and damage control.

For Miami’s large and vibrant Jewish population, the episode has struck a particularly painful nerve. South Florida is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the United States, including tens of thousands of Holocaust survivors and their descendants.

“To see Hitler glorified in a city where so many families bear the scars of that history is beyond heartbreaking,” one longtime Miami Beach resident told VIN News. “It feels like a betrayal of everything this community stands for.”

Local Jewish institutions have called for educational initiatives and stronger partnerships between nightlife establishments and community organizations to prevent similar incidents in the future. Several groups are planning demonstrations and public forums to address the issue.

As VIN News emphasized in its coverage, the Vendôme scandal is about more than a single night or a single nightclub. It reflects the ongoing challenge of confronting extremism in an era when hateful ideologies can spread rapidly and insinuate themselves into mainstream culture.

For now, Vendôme remains open for business—but its reputation has been badly tarnished. Whether the club can rebuild trust will depend on far more than a press release and a few employee firings.

What is clear is that Miami Beach finds itself at a moral crossroads. The city must decide whether it will tolerate the normalization of hate in the name of nightlife and entertainment—or draw a firm line to protect the dignity and safety of all its residents.

In the words of one community activist quoted by VIN News: “This is not just about one club. It’s about what kind of society we choose to be.”