Estonian lawmakers appear to make white power signs

Officials have raised concerns that a hand gesture flashed by two new Estonian lawmakers might be a white power sign. 

Martin Helme and Mart Helme this week made the gesture while being sworn in to the Estonian Parliament, according to The New York Times. They held up what appeared to be an “OK” sign with their thumbs and index fingers making a circle while their other three fingers were held out.{mosads}

Since 2017, the gesture has taken on new significance in white supremacist circles, according to the Anti-Defamation League. White supremacists use it to signal their support for white power. 

Estonian officials have tweeted about the gesture made by the men who, according to the Times, are members of a far-right party that expressed anti-immigrant sentiment. 

Former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves tweeted photos of the father and son making the gesture, calling it a white power sign.  

Estonian ministers of Finance and Internal Affairs, giving the white power sign at their swearing-in ceremony before Parliament today. pic.twitter.com/VHQAmTW2dv

— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) April 29, 2019

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said he was “genuinely worried” by the behavior. 

I get genuinely worried when I see this behavior by two members of the new government in Estonia. https://t.co/RpttOeLjPy

— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) April 29, 2019

“No one will tell us what words we can say or what signs we can make,” Martin Helme told Politico before making the gesture at the ceremony. He also said that President Trump is an inspiration to him. 

The news outlet reported that Martin Helme has advocated for a “white Estonia” and used “blacks go back” as a slogan.