San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker made headlines for all the wrong reasons Monday when photos of a gesture some consider to be Anti-Semitic emerged. As the New York Post reported, images of Parker performing the gesture immediately had one Jewish human rights organization crying foul:

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is asking the All-Star to apologize after multiple French newspapers posted pictures of Parker doing the “quenelle,” a gesture described as “the Nazi salute in reverse,” Roger Cukierman, the leader of an umbrella group of French Jewish organizations, told Reuters.

The call for the apology comes just one day after French soccer star Nicolas Anelka sparked outrage by displaying the same gesture after scoring a goal for West Bromwich Albion of the English Premier League.

Anelka claimed his use of the “quenelle” was simply a tribute to Dieudonne, whose supporters have performed the same gesture in front of former Nazi concentration camps and synagogues.

Shortly after news stories of the photo emerged, Parker issued an apology:

When l was photographed making that gesture three years ago, I thought it was part of a comedy act and did not know that it could be in any way offensive or harmful. Since I have been made aware of the seriousness of this gesture, I will certainly never repeat the gesture and sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding or harm relating to my actions.

Hopefully this incident will serve to educate others that we need to be more aware that things that may seem innocuous can actually have a history of hate and hurt.

Photos showing fellow French basketball player and Spurs teammate Boris Diaw performing the gesture with Dieudonne have also emerged.