Nonprofit Calls Out 'Neo-Nazi' Tattoo On Corrections Officer

WORCESTER COUNTY, MA—The Worcester Department of Corrections yanked its Twitter account for a spell because of death threats, sparked by a photo that surfaced of an officer with a supposed neo-Nazi tattoo, according to several reports.

Turns out, the officer said the part of the tattoo that showed didn't tell the whole story, and it was not in fact a racist statement on the skin.

The Massachusetts Bail Fund on its Twitter account posted a photo that indicates that the "88" tattoo seen on a corrections officer's arm that said "You can learn a lot about the COs by the tattoos. For instance, this one has a straight up Nazi tattoo."

The Massachusetts Bail Fund is a nonprofit that posts bail for low-income people.

According to the Anti-Defamation League's database of terms, the "88" symbol "is a white supremacist numerical code for 'Heil Hitler.' H is the eighth letter of the alphabet, so 88 = HH = Heil Hitler. One of the most common white supremacist symbols, 88 is used throughout the entire white supremacist movement, not just neo-Nazis."

In a statement issued by the Massachusetts Bail Fund, the organization said, "We were able to have a conversation with the superintendent this afternoon. We discussed the impact of the "88" symbol and how terrifying it is, regardless of the intent behind the tattoo. Going forward, the officer will have the tattoo covered where it is not visible."

With comments piling up on social media, the Department of Correction clarified that the Worcester County Sheriff's office oversees the jail. And while the officer is not being identified, the department's superintendent said that the "88" is in reference to that officer's number when he played football in college, reports Worcester Magazine.

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