A Washington, D.C. policeman accused of wearing a racist and offensive t-shirt while on duty has been suspended pending investigation.
Officer Vincent Altiere’s alleged transgression was brought to light by the advocacy group Law 4 Black Lives DC, which claimed he turned up at the D.C. Superior Court, where he was present to testify in a criminal case, wearing a t-shirt bearing the Sun Cross.
An altered version of the Celtic Cross, the Sun Cross has been adopted by the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, skinheads “and virtually every other type of white supremacist,” according to the Anti-Defamation League.
On Thursday, Law 4 Black Lives DC set up an online petition calling on the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to fire Altiere as well as “any other officers who create, wear, and/or propagate messages of hate and violence.”
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In addition to the Sun Cross, the shirt also appears to depict the Grim Reaper holding a rifle and the MPD badge, with the words “Seventh District” emblazoned below, suggesting that it might have been designed for a group of officers affiliated with the MPD Seventh District, Law 4 Black Lives DC said.
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The MPD later issued a statement confirming that a policeman was suspended, although it didn’t identify Altiere by name.
“MPD is aware of the allegation and is initiating an investigation into a disturbing and disgraceful t-shirt allegedly worn by an officer while he may have been in an on-duty capacity,” the statement read.
“We understand the trust of the community is critical to our ongoing work and take seriously any incidents that may undermine the confidence the community has in our members.”
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