A man caught on video wearing an LAPD shirt and chanting “white power” during a Black Lives Matter protest is not a police officer, officials said Friday.

The video, taken Thursday morning outside a 24 Hour Fitness gym in Hollywood, was brought to officers’ attention, and police tried contacting the man at the scene, but he fled on foot, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a tweet Thursday.

A spokesman with Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office said officials determined Friday that the man was not affiliated with the Police Department.

“The behavior in that video is deplorable, and it has absolutely no place in our city,” said Alex Comisar, the mayor’s press secretary.


Friday afternoon, LAPD tweeted that the T-shirt the man was wearing is not official attire. “The apparel worn by the individual, specifically the T-shirt with LAPD insignia, is not Department issued and is accessible to the public,” LAPD said. “We will be working with our Entertainment Trademark Unit to ensure violations of our trademark on apparel are addressed.”

Members of the Los Angeles chapter of the Black Lives Matter organization were protesting the death of Albert Ramon Dorsey, who was fatally shot by an LAPD officer inside the gym in October. As the group was protesting, it encountered the man — who appears to be of Asian descent — wearing a shirt with LAPD logos on the chest and sleeves.

In the video, the man is seen chanting “white power” repeatedly, while gesturing toward protesters. He appears to be making white power symbols with his hands.


Protesters asked the man to verify his law enforcement status.

“Where’s your badge number? Give us your badge number,” they said as the man continued his rant.

We have identified the individual in question related to a video involving the use of racially insensitive remarks. As first suggested by some, this individual is not, and has never been, an LAPD officer or employee. https://t.co/rHLAssqoWu — LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) February 1, 2019

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com


Twitter: @r_valejandra