A video went viral on Saturday night following a Black Lives Matter rally at the Capitol. The video shows an Oregon State Police [OSP] trooper making an “okay” hand gesture towards a member of the counter-protesters. This symbol has multiple meanings, including indicating support for the “white power” movement. The counter-protesters at whom the gesture was directed included members of the Proud Boys and other alt-right groups, some of which are associated with white supremacy.
People are currently calling for the reopening of the investigation into the trooper’s actions, following its conclusion on Sunday afternoon. However, our editorial board believes that these efforts would be better spent pressuring OSP to change their policies regarding the use of this hand gesture and challenging OSP to be more aware of the way they present themselves to the public.
When a gesture has such varying implications, it is important that people in positions of power, like police officers, are aware of the symbols that they are using and their meanings in particular environments. Although the trooper’s body-cam footage seems to show that he was trying to communicate in a noisy environment with someone who had just been assaulted and that it was not ill-intentioned, the trooper should have chosen a symbol that is not associated with hate groups—including those attempting to disrupt Saturday’s rally—such as a thumbs up.
As the only statewide law enforcement agency in a state with a long and shameful history of racism, OSP should recognize that this gesture is no longer innocuous, especially at racial justice events. This is especially true when the gesture is made towards counter-protesters, many of whom were using the sign throughout the day to convey white power. To many of the event organizers and participants, it appeared that the trooper was taking sides, which is exactly the concern that the rally was organized to address.
In a world where actions are so easily documented on camera and where social media can take things viral in a matter of hours, it is critical that all law enforcement officers exercise the utmost discipline. Thus, conveying to the public that they are conducting themselves with integrity and that they can be trusted—especially at this point in history where a crisis of trust has erupted between the public and law enforcement.
By recognizing the fractured trust with police that has led to racial justice protests and taking measures to prevent troopers from inadvertently using racially and politically divisive gestures in the future, OSP could begin to repair tenuous relations with the public, including Oregon’s BIPOC communities. This restoration of relations is especially important as Black Lives Matter leaders in Salem have expressed on social media their frustration with OSP’s handling of Black Lives Matter events at the Capitol. Some of this stems from OSP’s lack of engagement with counter-protesters during the March For Floyd, on June 6.
As an editorial board, we encourage OSP and other police agencies to review their training to ensure that troopers are made aware of the various meanings behind symbols and hand gestures, especially if they will be working at racial justice or political events. We believe that OSP should discontinue the use of gestures or symbols associated with hate groups at these events, regardless of the intent behind the gesture. By being more purposeful in the ways troopers communicate with crowds, OSP could alleviate the possibility of a trooper’s actions being misinterpreted and prevent another incident from going viral.
Recap of Events
At the Black Lives Matter rally on July 4, the troopers formed two lines on Court Street with half the officers facing the Black Lives Matter demonstrators and half facing the counter-protesters. The counter-protesters were heavily armed with semi-automatic rifles, handguns, knives, bear spray and mace. These counter-protesters were seen using the “okay” hand gesture in the white supremacy context repeatedly.
The trooper’s “okay” gesture was made towards a counter-protester wearing a “Black Bikes Matter” shirt, following the arrest of a man who pushed him. The trooper in question took several steps towards the man while making the gesture. The man proceeded to give him a pat on the shoulder. This interaction has been perceived in contrasting ways by members of the public.
The original video, by Joe Smothers, has been reposted on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, by people including Snoop Dogg, alleging that from the context one can assume that the symbol was used to convey solidarity with the counter-protesters. It has garnered more than 8M views across those platforms as of Monday afternoon. People have called for a longer and independent investigation into the trooper, as well as, his removal from the police force.
On Sunday, OSP concluded their investigation into the incident and released a statement stating that the trooper in question “did not engage in any white supremacy behavior, implicitly or explicitly.” OSP found that the trooper was simply inquiring into the well-being of the counter-protester following an assault.
Along with issuing the statement, OSP released body-cam footage from two troopers, including the one who made the gesture. In the footage, around 2 minutes 25 seconds, the trooper appears to ask the man if he is okay, as he uses the hand gesture.
“Best available evidence indicates the trooper was simply checking on the man’s status and used the universal signal to signify this inquiry, which the man gestured he was- then patted this trooper and a second trooper on their shoulders in an apparent signal of appreciation,” OSP said in the statement.
The History of the “Okay” Sign
The most common usage for the “okay” hand gesture, which dates back to the 17th century in Great Britain, is to signal understanding, approval or wellbeing of the user. The gesture is commonly used in Hindu and Buddhist practices where it is known as the vitarka mudra, or the teaching mudra. It is also used in many countries to convey obscenities or insults, including Germany, Turkey, Tunisia, Greece and Brazil.
In 2017 the gesture became associated with the white supremacist movement in the U.S. because of a hoax by members of the website called 4chan. The gesture, which is when the thumb and index finger touch, while the other fingers are outstretched, was claimed to represent the letters “WP” for “white power.” This hoax was so successful that many white supremacists began to use the symbol giving validity to the claims that the “okay” hand gesture can have racist connotations.
The Anti-Defamation League in 2019 labeled the sign as a “symbol of hate.” However, they have stated that other contextual evidence is needed to determine if the gesture should be considered white supremacy.
There have been many instances in which the hand gesture has been used as a hate symbol. This includes when Roger Stone, a political advisor for President Donald Trump, was photographed displaying the symbol when he met with the Proud Boys in Salem, Oregon in 2018. It was also used by Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, who pled guilty to murdering 51 people, the attempted murder of 40 others and one terrorism charge. He flashed the symbol during a courtroom appearance in 2019, after going on a shooting spree at two mosques in New Zealand. Both members of the U.S. military and the police force have been suspended for using the symbol in the recent past due to its white supremacist meaning.
Disclaimer: Editorials reflect the opinion of the Clypian editorial staff, which is separate from the reporters, newsroom and student body. The editorial board consists of Eddy Binford-Ross, Amelia Smith, Alisa Dougherty, Santiago Blanco-Mills and Claire Graham.
