Cop accused of making white power symbol at George Floyd protest under review, NYPD says
The New York Police Department is reviewing a video of one of its police officers accused of making a white power hand gesture during a George Floyd protest over the weekend.
The NYPD confirmed to McClatchy News that it is aware of the video, and the incident is under review.
China Mac, a rapper whose real name is Raymond Yu, posted a video on Instagram that quickly went viral, NBC News reported. The video shows an NYPD officer apparently making an “OK” symbol with his index finger and thumb touching.
“So there’s a viral clip going around of white officers throwing up the ‘White Power’ sign,” he captioned the Instagram post, according to NBC. “I was taking a picture for my YouTube live thumbnail, and the two officers photobombed it throwing up their signs. What do y’all think about that?”
The “OK” sign became associated with white power in 2017 due to a hoax by the members of the website 4chan, according to the American Defamation League. The members said the sign represented “wp” for “white power.” The symbol expanded beyond “trolling tactics” and has been used by white supremacists as “a sincere expression of white supremacy,” according to the ADL.
Brenton Tarrant, the white supremacist who has been charged with killing 50 people in mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, last year, flashed the symbol during a court appearance, The New York Times reported.
The Coast Guard fired one of its members in September 2018 after he apparently made the sign during an MSNBC video, AL.com reported.
After the video clip circulated on Twitter, New York Attorney General Letitia James said, “Please report this and send the video to my office.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday that James will be reviewing actions by the NYPD and protesters during demonstrations.
“Peaceful protest is a basic civil right,” James said in a statement. “That right should be protected and guarded. We take the designation to investigate last night’s actions very seriously. We will act independently to seek answers, ensure that the truth is laid bare, and that there is accountability for any wrongdoing.”
National protests over Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in Minneapolis police custody, entered their 10th day on Thursday.
There has been violence and looting, but it’s being done by much smaller groups at mostly peaceful gatherings, authorities say. The vast majority of the protesters across the nation have been “peaceful demonstrators calling for change,” law enforcement officials told ABC News.
Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was shown on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than 8 minutes, including nearly 3 minutes after he became unresponsive. Chauvin was arrested Friday, according to the Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner.
Chauvin’s charges were changed to second-degree murder on Wednesday, McClatchy News reported. Chauvin was previously charged with third-degree murder. The other three Minneapolis officers on the scene of Floyd’s death have also been charged, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Wednesday.
Another video circulating social media showed a NYPD vehicle driving through a crowd of protesters in Brooklyn on Saturday, The Guardian reported.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “I do believe the NYPD has acted appropriately,” according to the outlet.
This story was originally published June 4, 2020 at 4:44 PM with the headline "Cop accused of making white power symbol at George Floyd protest under review, NYPD says."