Military officials have launched an investigation after two service-academy students appeared to flash racist signs with their hands before the Army-Navy football game on Saturday in Philadelphia.

According to NBC News, ESPN reporter Rece Davis was doing a live shot in front of the Army cadets and Navy midshipmen when the students flashed an upside OK sign with their hands, a gesture which symbolizes white supremacy.

pic.twitter.com/9u0s3Sgio0

— Looky Yonder (@YonderLooky) December 14, 2019

The clip has caused outraged on social media since going viral.

"Just wanted to enjoy the #ArmyNavy. Didn’t expect or want to see the White Power symbol thrown up by cadets on national television," one Twitter user said.

Just wanted to enjoy the #ArmyNavy. Didn’t expect or want to see the White Power symbol thrown up by cadets on national television. pic.twitter.com/GwQ27QDEGk

— Fella (@BruthaManTho) December 14, 2019

David Cay Johnston, a professor at Syracuse University, said the students timed their racist hand signals to make sure they’d appear on the Jumbotron.

"Superintendents of @WestPoint_USMA and @navalacademy, are you going to discipline the cadets and midshipmen who flashed white power signs at the Army Navy game?" Johnston tweeted.

Superintendents of @WestPoint_USMA and @navalacademy,

Are you going to discipline the cadets & midshipmen who flashed white power signs at the Army Navy game?

Note: video shows they timed their racist hand signals to make sure they’d appear on the Jumbotron.

Expulsion?

— David Cay Johnston (@DavidCayJ) December 15, 2019

Some others, however, didn't see any problems with the sign.

"It looked like to me they were playing 'the circle game,'" one person said. "You make that hand gesture (that forms a circle) and if your buddy looks at it you punch them in the arm or some similar 'punishment.' It’s been popular with bro’s & jocks for a long time."

John, it looked like to me they were playing “the circle game”; you make that hand gesture (that forms a circle) and if your buddy looks at it you punch them in the arm or some similar “punishment”. It’s been popular with bro’s & jocks for a long time

— Captain Caveman ✝️???????? (@BenHardee) December 15, 2019

Johnston said the students were wrong no matter their intentions.

"The symbol, like almost all others, has more than one meaning," he tweeted. "And while it could be the Circle Game. If so it shows, at a minimum, poor judgment. We train our officer corps to have highly developed critical thinking skills and judgment. And these are the most elite."

The symbol, like almost all others, has more than one meaning… And while it could be the Circle Game. If so it shows, at a minimum, poor judgment.

We train our officer corps to have highly developed critical thinking skills and judgment. And these are the most elite. https://t.co/hIrEUwQXRk

— David Cay Johnston (@DavidCayJ) December 15, 2019

The website called 4chan started the symbol as a “hoax campaign” in 2017 to troll liberals, the Anti-Defamation League reported. This year, the ADL added the gesture to its hate symbols database, saying it's “being used in some circles as a sincere expression of white supremacy.”

"4channers created fake e-mail and Twitter accounts and bombarded civil rights organizations, journalists, and others with messages furthering the “OK” hoax," ADL stated.

According to TMZ, there was a similar incident earlier this year when a Chicago Cubs fan was banned from the stadium for life when he flashed the "OK" gesture.

A member of the Coast Guard also used a similar hand sign last year in the background of a live broadcast, the Wall Street Journal reported.

“West Point is looking into it,” a spokesperson said in a statement on the latest incident. “At this time we do not know the intent of the cadets.”

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