Coast Guard Removes Service Member From Hurricane Response After He Was Seen Making ‘OK’ Hand Sign on MSNBC

The Coast Guard announced Friday night it had removed a member from Hurricane Florence repsonse duty after he was seen making the ‘OK’ symbol with his right hand in the background of an MSNBC live report earlier Friday afternoon.

The unidentified Coast Guardsman’s motive has not been reported. He was seated at a work station in Charleston, South Carolina, directly behind Capt. John Reed, who was giving a live update to MSNBC. The Coast Guardsman was seen turning his head to look over at the camera, then turning his back to his work but raising his right hand to his ear and quickly making the ‘OK’ sign.

The Coast Guard was quick to throw him overboard before any reported investigation into his motive, “We are aware of the offensive video on twitter – the Coast Guard has identified the member and removed him from the response. His actions do not reflect those of the United States Coast Guard”

A spokesman told NBC News: The man has since been removed from the Florence response operations and the incident is under investigation, said Coast Guard Lt. J.B. Zorn. “Whatever that symbol means, it doesn’t reflect the Coast Guard and our core values,” Zorn said. “It won’t be tolerated.…We’re not going to let one person detract from the good work the Coast Guard is doing in the region,” Zorn said. “We’re going to stay focused.”

Many in the media saw the ‘OK’ symbol as a ‘White Power Salute’, even though it’s origin as a current political symbol was a 4chan prank gone viral.

Screen images of the Coast Guardsman:

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Kristinn Taylor has contributed to The Gateway Pundit for over ten years. Mr. Taylor previously wrote for Breitbart, worked for Judicial Watch and was co-leader of the D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com. He studied journalism in high school, visited the Newseum and once met David Brinkley.

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