Are there hate symbols being displayed in your Florida community? Check with this list

The string of antisemitic vandalism in the Pensacola area didn't stop with the arrest of four teenagers last week, as an Escambia County business was also targeted by graffiti over the weekend.

Pensacola Police arrested four teenagers on Friday as suspects who allegedly threw antisemitic language-covered bricks into two Jewish centers and covered additional local buildings with antisemitic graffiti.

Like the bulk of the Pensacola graffiti, swastikas were the main graffiti that plastered the walls of the latest target, Flowerama.

While swastikas are well known symbols used in Nazi Germany and by other Nazi fascists as a party emblem and symbol of antisemitism, there are many other symbols of hate that may be unfamiliar to most.

Antisemitism in Pensacola: Pensacola police arrest 4 teens in connection to string of antisemitic vandalism

What are dog whistles?

When used in the context of hate speech, "dog whistles" is a term used to describe speech that is veiled enough to go over the head of most people but recognizable enough to signal like-minded people.

The swastika, for example, an image nearly synonymous with Nazi Germany now, was an image held sacred by an estimated 2 billion followers of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism for at least 5,000 years prior to the Nazi's use of it.

Co-opting already famous symbols not only clouds mass perception toward a hate group, it can create common ground for potential members and be used for recruitment and to send an internal message to believers. The subtleness of the language provides plausible deniability should somebody uncover the person's intentions.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has created a database of hate symbols and terms called the "Hate on Display Hate Symbols Database" that provides an overview of many of the symbols frequently used by a variety of white supremacist groups and movements.

Below is a list of terms and symbols gathered from the ADL's database that function as dog whistles for hate groups that could indicate a movement within a community.

What does '88' stand for?

Because H is the eighth letter of the alphabet, neo-Nazis and white supremacists use "88" as a veil to say "Heil Hitler," according to the ADL.

What do '14' and '14 words' mean?

According to findings by the ADL, the term "14" or "14 Words" is a reference to the white supremacist slogan: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children."

The term reflects the primarily white supremacist worldview in the late 20th and early 21st centuries that unless immediate action is taken, the white race is doomed to extinction by an alleged "rising tide of color," or multiculturalism, purportedly controlled and manipulated by Jewish people.

What does '1488' mean?

The ADL says that "1488" represents the combination of two of the most popular white supremacist dog whistles. Together, the numbers form a general endorsement of white supremacy and its beliefs.

Neo-nazis and white supremacists have been accused of using this phrase often in the public sphere. The combination can be seen in posts, usernames on social media and even the price of merchandise as a way of subtly feigning comradery.

Is the Confederate flag a dog whistle?

The Confederate flag is often heralded as an image of Southern pride since its usage in the civil war. In recent decades, it has also been used as a dog whistle for white supremacy in more nations than just the U.S.

Flying the Confederate flag is popular at alt-right gatherings across Europe. Since displaying Nazi symbols are a crime in Germany, neo-nazis are believed to utilize the Confederate flag in the nation instead.

What is the 'Moon Man'?

The “Moon Man” is an internet meme appropriated from "Mac Tonight," a smiling crescent moon wearing sunglasses and McDonalds' mascot during the 1980s.

Since 2000, the meme has become associated with the alt-right due to their usage of the mascot coupled with the creation of racist, violent rap songs stereotyping African-American culture, according to the ADL.

What does 'ORION' mean?

Orion stands for: "Our race is our nation." The slogan is used to proclaim that race supersedes all agreements on national borders and boundaries.

According to the ADL, within the U.S. a white supremacist might say ORION to suggest that he or she owes allegiance to his or her race, rather than to the nation itself.

In an international context, white supremacists use it to suggest that all "white" people, from Europe or the U.S. or elsewhere, are one "nation," opposed and superior to all other races.

How is Pepe the Frog a dog whistle?

Pepe the Frog is a cartoon character that has become a popular internet meme since its 2005 premiere. It did not always have racist or antisemitic connotation to it, but was eventually appropriated by neo-Nazis and white supremacists. In the fall of 2016, the ADL teamed with Pepe creator Matt Furie to form a #SavePepe campaign to reclaim the symbol from those who use it with hateful intentions.

What is the sonnenrad?

The sonnenrad, otherwise known as the black sun or sunwheel, is one of the symbols appropriated by the Nazi party in order to create their idealized version of aryan/norse heritage, according to the ADL. To the Schutzstaffel (SS), the rune stood for "victory."

Historians are unsure of where the symbol originated, though it is assumed that it is inspired by similar symbols and meaning based in ancient Germanic folklore.

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What are the SS Bolts?

One of the most powerful hate symbols in history, the SS Bolts are a common white supremacist/neo-Nazi symbol derived from the SS of Nazi Germany, which maintained the police state.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Hate speech and dog whistles go hand-in-hand, learn more about them