Four members of the Jasper Police Department were suspended after they made a hand gesture in a post-arrest photo that some say is a hate symbol that means “white power.” (Google Earth images)
Four members of an Alabama police department were suspended after they made a hand gesture in a post-arrest photo that some say is a hate symbol meaning “white power.”
Jasper Mayor David O’Mary told news outlets the four officers, whose names were not made public, have been suspended and docked a week’s pay following the publication of the photograph in the Jasper Daily Mountain Eagle on July 12.
The officers were pictured making an upside-down "OK" sign with their hands. O'Mary, who was also in the photo, said some have claimed the gesture is meant to express "white power."
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Other Jasper residents told ABC 33/40 News the gesture is part of the “circle game,” which is popular with children.
"It's a kid game. Going around and hitting everybody when you see it," a resident told ABC 33/40.
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The mayor said he arranged the photo to recognize the narcotics team following a drug bust. He said he hasn't asked the officers what they meant by the gesture, but said they showed "poor judgment."
"We talked to two senior African-American law enforcement officers that are on the City of Jasper's payroll and they think it's fair and that's a pretty good sounding board,” O’Mary said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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