Coast guard removed for white power sign
The US Coast Guard has removed a team member from duty after he was accused of making a "white power" sign on air. The unidentified employee was seen glancing at the camera during an MSNBC interview on Friday night before briefly making the hand gesture.
He was at a desk in the background as the cable channel spoke to Coast Guard Commanding Officer Capt John Reed in Charleston, South Carolina. The agency responded swiftly to the ensuing social media backlash.
The incident occurred as MSNBC covered the emergency response to deadly tropical storm Florence, which is drenching the Carolinas. "Whatever that symbol means, it doesn't reflect the Coast Guard and our core values," Coast Guard Lt JB Zorn told NBC News.
The Coast Guard tweeted that it was aware of the "offensive video" and was investigating the matter. In a statement, the agency said it was a "frustrating distraction".
