AHTC Trial
Suspected Christchurch terrorist flashed 'OK' sign in court in nod to irony, meme culture & white nationalism
The Circle Game.
Belmont Lay | March 17, 2019, 01:08 PM
Law Awareness Week 2020
Suspected terrorist Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, flashed an upside down "OK" sign in New Zealand court on Saturday, March 16, 2019.
He had allegedly carried out massacres in two mosques in Christchurch a day before on March 15.
Smirked in court and made "OK" hand gesture
While flanked by police in court, Tarrant used his shackled hand to make an "OK" symbol.
What does the upside down "OK" sign mean?
This has drawn the attention of the media as the symbol has been adopted by white nationalists and neo-Nazis "to signal their presence to the like-minded".
The backstory about the sign is unwieldy, but it has been eloquently written about by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which has explained at length the nuances of the gesture, its origins and its self-perpetuating nature.
How to read the supposed innocuous symbol in its most racist form?
Due to the way the fingers are positioned, the sign can be read as symbolising the letters "W" and "P", which can be construed as "white power".
As with plenty of internet memes, trolls have been encouraged to co-opt and use it to proliferate the gesture both as a form of irony and to get a reaction out of anyone who knows its meaning -- while also pretending that it is innocuous.
The tendency is for people who are not steeped in internet culture to simply take the symbol at face value as the good old, universally accepted "OK" sign.
The symbol has over the years, since at least 2015, been turned into a meme flashed in photo ops, in officious settings and even in courts.
"OK" symbol appeared in the 2018 Singapore NDP
The "OK" symbol made it onto the live telecast of the 2018 Singapore National Day Parade -- but more as a prank or game.
What's New? 😂😂 #NDP2018 #sike pic.twitter.com/bhEEpSRprm
— 🐼🐼 #WhatIsLove 💖💖💞💞❤❤ (@StutteringBoy) August 9, 2018
GIF via Toggle
There was nothing shown on television that suggested those performers who deliberately flashed the symbol were displaying it in a racist way.
This also explains the staying power of the symbol in its diluted form.
This flashing of symbol at any moment is also based on a thing called the "Circle Game", where one makes a circle with the index finger and thumb.
The aim is to trick your friends (or in this case, the viewer) to look at your hand -- if they see the circle, they lose.
This game has been around for years, and naturally enough, made its way into memes.
Not many can do it under 1 minute pic.twitter.com/YEgG1wdPqS
— Mothership.sg (@MothershipSG) July 24, 2018
Whether online or offline, the game is intended to frustrate the viewer but amuse the creator or executor.
Updates to Christchurch shooting
As of March 17, the death toll from the Christchurch shootings has risen to 50 from 49.
Tarrant is an Australian personal trainer.
He was charged with one count of murder in connection with the mass shootings that left 50 people dead and dozens more wounded.
Several remain critically injured and authorities do not rule out more deaths from the attack.
Authorities said more charges will be coming.
His court-appointed attorney did not apply for bail, and he will be jailed until his next appearance on April 5.
The public was not allowed into the courtroom, which was packed with media.
Tarrant did not seek a suppression order that would have prevented media from using his name in New Zealand.
Top photo via Getty
Psst, here's more interesting stuff:
Virgin Australia serves cup noodles & can of Coke for S$1,726 business class flight from Perth to Brisbane
Flights to nowhere > Flights to somewhere
Jokowi says Covid-19 vaccine is complex, wants public clarity on halal status, price & quality
Millions of Indonesian parents abandoned a measles vaccine in 2018 when it was declared haram.
Jurong Point & FairPrice in Aljunied visited by infectious Covid-19 cases on Oct. 10 & 11
The total number of cases in Singapore stands at 57,915.
Worker, 27, dies after being electrocuted in workplace incident at former Police NS Department
MOM is investigating the incident.
GOMO by Singtel is paying you S$1,000 to speak for 20 minutes as an Instagram live host
If you've ever wanted to shoot your shot at being an influencer, now's your chance.
Pierre Png & Andrea De Cruz celebrate 17th wedding anniversary at Raffles Hotel
Batam preparing to welcome green lane travellers from S'pore
Inspections have been carried out at the ferry terminal by Indonesian authorities.
Realistic dinosaur-themed playground has been in Woodlands since 1997
Woodlands had dinosaurs before it was cool.
Before S'pore had expressways, major road networks used to be marked out by milestones
Singapore has seen over 50 years of major road projects, from the PIE to the North-South Corridor.
JJ Lin hosting YouTube live with celebrity friends on Oct. 19, 10:45pm for album preview
Cloud hosting by Vodien. Web design by Yu Sheng & Yu Siang. Web development by Ripplewerkz.