Another meme is now discouraged in the Blizzard Arena alongside Pepe the Frog.
During an interview with Los Angeles Gladiators’ DPS Jang “Decay” Gui-un, a fan in the back side made a hand gesture of Ok symbol. In an interesting tweet by a popular Esports personality Rod “Slasher” Breslau stated that, Blizzard told a fan in the Overwatch League arena they are not allowed to use ?for its ‘association as a white power symbol’ after they flashed it on stream and a complaint was made to the OWL account on Twitter.
Blizzard told a fan in the Overwatch League arena they are not allowed to use ?for its ‘association as a white power symbol’ after they flashed it on stream and a complaint was made to the OWL account on twitter pic.twitter.com/RMgUEUsBWK
— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) April 5, 2019
Now it is evident that the OK hand gesture is banned in the Blizzard Arena.
The real reason behind this ban is the OK gesture has been part of many white supremacy movements in past. Also, a campaign named Operation O-KKK was active in 2017 which involved this gesture.
So apparently we’re no longer allowed to do the ? during OWL broadcasts because it’s a white supremacist symbol? This has been happening since last season and this is the first we’ve ever heard about it having such connotations? But Blizzard asked for it to stop, so no more ?. pic.twitter.com/Y5B4TUvlY2
— reba (@rebarob22) April 5, 2019
So the ban of Pepe the Frog and OK gesture makes one thing apparent that Blizzard discourages meme culture associated with hate groups.