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The two-finger OK sign is universally recognized to mean that everything is fine or that something is approved. But the ADL says that although not everyone wants to say that he is hateful, the sign has been coopted by the alternative right.
The OK hand gesture and its connection to white nationalism began as a hoax concocted by users of the 4chan website, which falsely linked it to white supremacy, according to the ADL.
The ADL experts say that this attempt was intended to induce the media or individuals with liberal ideals to appear excessive, and therefore ridiculous to condemn such a benign sign. But in 2019, the sign was adopted by some white nationalists.
"At least some white supremacists seem to have abandoned the ironic or satirical intent of the original trolling campaign and used the symbol as a sincere expression of white supremacy," ADL said in its report.
Their experts speak of the Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, accused of killing 51 people in two mosques in New Zealand in March. Tarrant is photographed with the OK symbol when appearing in court shortly after his arrest. Tarrant pleaded not guilty.
"We believe that law enforcement and the public must be fully informed of the meaning of these images, which can serve as the first warning signal to the presence of enemies in a community or community. school, "said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of ADL.
Other new symbols of hate
They have also added to their new list of hate symbols – Dylan Roof Bowls, Happy Merchant and Moon Man.
The white supremacists use the bowl's cut-off image or emoji to symbolize Roof, who shot nine blacks in 2015 while they were praying in the African Methodist Episcopal Church Emanuel in Charleston, South Carolina.
The "happy merchant" represents an extreme stereotype of a Jewish man rubbing his hands, which is supposed to symbolize greed.
"Moon Man" is a 1980s MacDonald commercial play starring a man dressed in a crescent moon costume. White supremacists use this character to create videos where he uses racist rhetoric.
The slogan Diversity = White Genocide has also been added.
"These are the latest business cards of hate," said Mark Pitcavage, senior researcher at the Center on Extremism of the ADL. "We pay special attention to symbols that show resistance, as well as to those who switch from online use to the real world."
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