A Philadelphia police officer who was photographed with a tattoo on his forearm that some say resembles part of the official insignia of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party is under review by the department’s internal affairs.
In the photograph of the uniformed officer, a large tattoo is visible on his left arm as he stands next to his bike. The word “Fatherland” is lettered above a large eagle with outstretched wings that takes up the length of his forearm. On his other arm, there appears to be a tattoo of an American flag with an assault rifle across the middle.
The photo was taken on July 26 during a rally for #BlackResistanceMarch held in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement during the Democratic National Convention, according to Evan Matthews, who posted it to Facebook. The officer was one of hundreds who were assembled at major city intersections, according to Matthews.
Rally organizers have pointed out that the tattoo bears a resemblance to part of the Parteiadler, the emblem of the Nazi party.
The Philadelphia Police Department said it is aware of the image and that the matter is being reviewed internally. The department did not name the officer in the photo.
The department does not currently have a specific policy regarding the wearing or displaying of tattoos, police officials said in a statement on Thursday, but it will “quickly move” to determine the appropriate policy moving forward.
“The Department does not condone anything that can be interpreted as offensive, hateful or discriminatory in any form,” the police department said. “This is a very sensitive topic for both the citizens that we serve as well as the officers providing service to the public.”
The Philadelphia Coalition for Real Justice, one of the groups that organized the July 26 march, is calling for the officer to be fired.
The group did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
The police union, the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5, was not immediately available for comment.
