Military Investigating After Cadets Flashed Apparent White Power Signs Before Army-Navy Game
Military officials have launched an investigation after the “OK” hand symbol that has become known as a symbol for white power was flashed amid a crowd of cadets before the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia Saturday.
The gestures were captured on national TV during a pregame broadcast in a crowd that included black cadets. They appeared to be flashed by both West Point cadets and Annapolis midshipmen.
“We’re looking into it,” West Point representative Lt. Col. Chris Ophardt told The Wall Street Journal. “I don’t know what their intention is.” Annapolis spokeswoman Cmdr. Alana Garas also told the newspaper: “We are aware and will be looking into it.”
The signs were flashed during a spot by ESPN’s Rece Davis before the game. At one point, one of the cadets in the stands around Davis stood, laughing, and showed a banner reading: “Go Army Beat Navy.” Then someone standing behind him whose face was out of the shot and wearing a black glove made the hand sign. At least two other signs were then also flashed, with one next to Davis’ head.
— Looky Yonder (@YonderLooky) December 14, 2019
The story quickly blew up on social media.
The Anti-Defamation League this year added the symbol to its list of hate signs.The symbol began as a trolling hoax by members of the website 4chan, saying the hand gesture formed a “W” and “P” for “white power.” But the gesture is now being used “in some circles as a sincere expression of white supremacy,” according to the ADL.
The hand sign, however, is also used in the “Circle Game.” In the game, players make the symbol below their waist. If someone looks, they get a punch in the shoulder. Several people on Twitter insisted the cadets were engaged in the Circle Game.
Last year, a Coast Guard officer was reprimanded after he used a similar hand sign while standing in the background of a television broadcast.
The cadets should be well aware of what they were doing, what a disgusting act when they decided to throw up the white power sign #ARMYNAVY#ArmyNavyGamepic.twitter.com/hbjUfA9m01
— Dakota Fuqua (@DakotaFuqua1997) December 14, 2019
Trumps America #ArmyNavyGame a bunch of cadets throwing up the white power symbol on national television. Hopefully they will face disciplinary action. #Disgusted
pic.twitter.com/QSLtxx7F1Q
— Jerry Avenaim (@avenaim) December 14, 2019
Circle game.
If that’s not the circle game, I’ll tweet Marvel > DC, burn my Grizzlies hat, and change my Twitter picture to Jar Jar Binks. That’s how confident I am it’s not a white power symbol. https://t.co/YLSBHrJu63
— David French (@DavidAFrench) December 15, 2019
Anyone who thinks that’s not circle game has never known anyone in the military.
— Amelia (@AmeliaHammy) December 15, 2019
I have a hand gesture for the cadets who flashed the #whitepower sign today, if they'd like it.
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) December 15, 2019
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.