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Twitter Liberals Falsely Accuse Disabled Veteran of Having Nazi Tattoo

Twitter screenshot
June 18, 2018

Social media users over the weekend falsely accused a wounded veteran and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement analyst of being a Nazi after ICE tweeted out his picture with a partially obscured tattoo.

In a tweet sent on May 25, ICE showcased a member of its HERO Child-Rescue Corps, a program for former members of the armed forces to receive tech training to combat online child exploitation.

But the tweet suddenly went viral over the weekend when social media users—including members of left-wing media and celebrities—accused the man pictured of being a Nazi, claiming that a mostly obscured tattoo on his elbow was the Nazi Iron Cross.

An ICE spokesman confirmed to the Washington Free Beacon that the veteran pictured is Cpl. Justin Gaertner, who lost both legs in Afghanistan while sweeping for improvised explosive devices. The agency also said the tattoo is not of a Nazi symbol at all.

"Per Mr. Gaertner, the tattoo on his left elbow is the 'Titan 2,' the symbol for his platoon while he fought in Afghanistan," ICE said. "The writing on his right arm is the Spartan Creed which is about protecting family and children."

Gaertner works as a computer forensics analyst for ICE, the agency said on Twitter on Monday.

ICE claimed the tweet resurfaced and picked up steam when New Yorker reporter Talia Lavin wrote it was the Iron Cross, and that Levin deleted the tweet when veterans suggested it was not. Lavin's tweets are now protected, but a Google Cache shows her admitting that she deleted a tweet about the tattoo.

Published under: ICE , Twitter