# Peloton Scrubs Hudson Williams Videos Amid High School Photo Backlash

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-06-12 19:07 UTC · Category: Entertainment

## Executive Summary
Actor Hudson Williams’ high school photo resurfaces with a swastika drawn on his face, sparking backlash and platform removals.

## Intelligence Brief
A 2016 high school photo of actor Hudson Williams, featuring a swastika drawn on his face, has resurfaced online, prompting widespread criticism. The image, taken during Pride Month, has led to calls for accountability, with Peloton removing his workout videos from its platform.


Williams has stated he was unaware of the swastika at the time the photo was taken. Coverage emphasizes the rapid escalation of the backlash, with multiple outlets—including *People*, *Entertainment Weekly*, and *TMZ*—highlighting the controversy.


BuzzFeed has also edited an old video referencing the photo, and co-star Simu Liu has publicly defended Williams against what he described as a ‘massive hate campaign.’ What to watch next: Whether Williams will issue a formal statement addressing the incident, and how other platforms may respond to the backlash. Coverage does not yet specify if the photo originated from a private or public source, or if further images may surface.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| IMDb | ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Star Simu Liu Defends ‘Heated Rivalry’ Star Hudson Williams After Resurfaced Photo Backlash | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZ0FVX3lxTFBHb2dVMmNJTWxtSVc1RVl4VHB3ZzVRZU53Szl3SE9RQVNabFhKX3k2RU03WVdXVzRUU3hWMGQteHoxRFFFdjFpSG5VdkF3aVV5U3FyMTFTX09SdzBpbG9RTWtjUW16TnM?oc=5) |
| People.com | 'Heated Rivalry’s Hudson Williams Faces Backlash over High School Photo with Swastika Drawn on Face | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinAFBVV95cUxPQ29laEpveTA1ZEZORTlnbG1ZeElOOHVsX0tJRFBRWHpLNUdyX3kxRnJKajFyQ2RFaUF2bmx6RDhkWlIyTWdsM2hTMDlyQTZDZkhGT044VzR2X19NLWFxeFhoLTA5cEdfdVZ5d3NtM0J4VC1GdERqOVdGTzZld2tpc3JRcE9TS2JESEN3dGlHVXVORnFiYUtmTlNBVEs?oc=5) |
| WEHOonline.com | ‘Do Not and Have Never’: Hudson Williams Swastika Photo Surfaces During Pride Month | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMidEFVX3lxTE1CNEY5ek52RGpxcnExWS1lN2VGUUJvU2ZVNnZnU0piWWdCWG4zbEhNZi15ZVZsMVRUZ0RQRm5QRHNQTEIxMlVzZExVTmwwQzB5UERRM0dZelhZQlNKSHRfaUNoOTV6MGk5a01JSEloV2FDQmpR?oc=5) |
| x.com | BuzzFeed Edits Old Video After Calling Out Hudson Williams' Teen Photo | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiV0FVX3lxTE1HMW9nX242QzBVQlRQWUtTd3Mxb2NDa1IxOFFxdlNZYmdYa2ZZU2tSOWdyUVZaYW8xcnhrOVhtMkhXMS1xWjRnajMwQkpzZFBfR0FXN2ZyYw?oc=5) |
| TMZ | Hudson Williams Didn't Know There Was A Swastika Drawn on His Face At Time Re-Surfaced Photo Taken | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihwFBVV95cUxQYzFteTdEaEZmQ3hpazJBb2J5WE9Ha25DSUZYNW1sOWR0R1VrRGhHVWNzQlQ1QjdMajN1dTJ2azhXcTZYS2hmektGOUs2dlhmR0QzOEZSeUpxTnYxQmQxaHdUaUlzYkxZSEVBT2FNdnFxZzlneWw3MWpzMmRmYXJzT29ZRmxCbGM?oc=5) |
| Entertainment Weekly | Simu Liu defends Hudson Williams against 'massive hate campaign' after resurfaced photo sparks backlash | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimwFBVV95cUxQb21BRm1Yb3M3MTBMRUtLMXFyYkJoeUh3UWRSOHdVY2pBWEVtcHBJclJIdUx6RmdWVHNwUEJoRVNDVS1QZXpVSTNxanlIeThVVTkzZV9hNFFmV09oSWFGbUZURm9WbG5xekEzbWZpdGFmSEFqV2paZEM4aWt2SXV1RWxZdmlMTFdxN2pPN01Pb3VwQU9XbkhyczIwdw?oc=5) |
| TMZ | Peloton Scrubs Hudson Williams Videos Amid High School Photo Backlash | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilAFBVV95cUxQTDVVVjZ5Q0lqRmh5QmpybzVKd0c0RWk1X1Y1ODliblhXQnZ5dnlkSzhkazg2UFh6STBvbUtOWEV2R2x0WGF3R05hdGVKT2g4NTUwMnhIYm5sUTNVczQxckN2OUpvREU4ZlJSU0hzTzVISnlhMFN6WXpQTl93ei00Y1piUW9kcWF6dVdmWTN5QnZRcnlN?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-06-12/peloton-scrubs-hudson-williams-videos-amid-high-school-photo-backlash*