Questions erupted during the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia when students appeared to make the White Power hand symbol during a pregame broadcast.
Spokespersons from the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy told reporters late today they have been made aware of the issue – which blossomed on social media as the game wore on – and the schools are looking into it.
A spokesperson for West Point said the academy was investigating and did “not know the Cadets’ intent.”
ESPN’s Rece Davis was doing a standup segment at Lincoln Financial Field at the 120th meeting of the service academies when a Cadet held up a flag that said “Go Army Beat Navy” and began laughing.
Someone on the Midshipmen side who was out of the frame then appeared to make the one-handed symbol, and did it until someone wearing a glove tapped them on the hand.
Watch this video. Two cadets clearly flash white power hand signals; one of them does it right behind the head of a black cadet. This is on live TV at the Army-Navy game.
The @NavalAcademy should kick these students out. https://t.co/FfssOG2tOq
— *you’re (@RKJ65) December 14, 2019
Then a gloved hand appeared in the frame on the Cadet side with the upside-down OK symbol, and finally a Cadet appeared to make the symbol next to Davis’ head.
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 #ArmyNavyGame pic.twitter.com/hbjUfA9m01
— Dakota Fuqua (@DakotaFuqua1997) December 14, 2019
The Anti-Defamation League in September added the OK symbol as a gesture of hate.
Last year, a Coast Member member was suspended after using the white power sign during a live television report.
The OK signal is tied to an alt-right meme of the cartoon Pepe the Frog holding his hand up making the gesture.
The cartoon frog was adopted by white supremacists.
In October, Universal Studios Resort fired an actor dressed as a “Despicable Me” character after the person was accused of using the symbol.