A student film featuring a Nazi flag on the University of Southern California’s campus is sparking outrage and raising questions about why a hate symbol is allowed to be used on school grounds. 

An anonymous social media post with the caption “only at USC” showed a student film crew holding the swastika flag in front of the campus bookstore last week, according to Annenberg Media. 

The prop is part of a permitted film production titled “Tension,” which examines rising racial tensions on campus, the outlet reported. 

“I can verify that this shoot was a permitted shoot through the school, and fully approved,” Kristin Borella, the director of communications for USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, told the outlet.

Joshua Flores, the student direction the film, told the outlet the polarizing moment is intended to “start dialogue and create discussions that are necessary, real, valid, and raw.”

The project is part of a graduate-level production class and follows an Afro-Latino man struggling to find himself while navigating racial aggressions . 

The course requires students to produce movies with the goal of spurring social change.  

Borella told the outlet the Department of Public Safety was notified “given the sensitive nature of the shoot” and signed off on the production permit. 

However, assistant chief of DPS David Carlisle said he had no knowledge of any permits. 

“I don’t have any info on this particular filming,” Carlisle told the outlet.

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