FINLAND — A group of European Rabbis are facing backlash, after criticizing Justin Bieber for what they claimed was a Nazi salute.

Many social media users have come to the defense of the renowned pop music icon, saying he was simply doing an innocent dance move.

In addition, Bieber’s own Israeli promoters rejected the accusation, saying the gesture was an innocent arm motion which is part of his performance.

Nidar Oz Communications said in a statement: “These are dance moves…Dance moves are meant to entertain. Not everything has to do with the Jewish people, with all the love we have for ourselves.”

Bieber was performing at a concert in Finland when he started marching across the stage, arguably resembling goose-stepping Nazis performing the seig heil salute.

On Wednesday, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, released a statement blasting Bieber.

“The famous singer slapped millions of Jews around the world in the face when he chose to make the ‘Sieg Heil’ gesture, which symbolizes identification with the values of the Nazi Party and its leader, murder of the Jewish people, Adolf Hitler. It is unthinkable that a singer with tens of millions of fans and followers around the world allows himself to carry out such a movement on European soil soaked in the blood of millions of Jews and other minorities who were brutally murdered by the Nazi oppressors. Using this movement on such a large platform is a symbol of victory for anti-Semites and it provides an incentive for future oppressors. I demand an explanation from the singer about the humiliating movement and call on the State of Israel to consider canceling his planned appearance this October.”

Scooter Braun, Bieber’s manager, is a descendent of Holocaust survivors. On Holocaust Remembrance Day, Bieber shared Braun’s Instagram post commemorating the 6,000,000 Jews HY”D murdered by the Nazis.

As reported by Vos Iz Neias