A tweet from the Twitter account of Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday has sparked controversy due to its potential association with the white supremacist symbol “1488”. Many observers have noted the use of the numbers 14 and 88 in close proximity in the tweet. Kennedy has not provided any comment or explanation regarding the post, leaving it unclear whether he personally approved it. The tweet was aimed at pressuring President Joe Biden to grant Secret Service protection to Kennedy, highlighting that presidential candidates have historically received such protection since Kennedy’s father’s assassination in 1968 but he has been denied.
The use of the numbers “1488” is significant because it is recognized as a symbol of white supremacy. According to the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center, the “14” in the symbol represents the “14 Words” slogan, which is popular among racists, while the “88” stands for “Heil Hitler” as “H” is the eighth letter of the alphabet.
The Secret Service’s website states that they are authorized to protect major presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election. Since the election is still over a year away, it suggests that Kennedy may not be eligible for Secret Service protection at this time. HuffPost has reached out to the Secret Service for comment on the matter.
Kennedy has faced criticism in the past for promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories. At a recent dinner, he made false claims about the origins and impact of COVID-19, falsely stated that the virus targets specific ethnic groups, and even suggested that Holocaust victims had an easier time than COVID-19 sufferers.
Social media users were quick to notice the potentially loaded language in his Friday tweet, with some accusing him of pandering to white supremacists.
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