#SafetyPin / Safety Pin Movement
This submission is currently being researched & evaluated!
You can help confirm this entry by contributing facts, media, and other evidence of notability and mutation.
About
#SafetyPin is an activist campaign in protest of the United Kingom's withdrawal from the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States. While the pin is meant to symbolize that that wearer is an ally to members of marginalized groups, some have accused the campaign of being an empty gesture and form of virtue signalling.
Origin
On June 26th, 2016, following the successful vote to allow the United Kingdom to withdrawal from the European Union, Twitter user @cheeahs started a campaign urging people who opposed the referendum to wear an empty safety pin to symbolize solidarity against racism (shown below).
![](https://a.kym-cdn.com/assets/blank-b3f96f160b75b1b49b426754ba188fe8.gif)
Precursor: I'll Ride With You
Following the Sydney hostage crisis in 2014, the hashtag #IllRideWithYou was launched in opposition to Islamophobia in Australia (shown below).
![#IllRideWithYou Jay Wall # Follow @Jay Wal In face of racism, let people know they have someone to rely on: bit.ly/ridewithyou #1lRideWithYou @ushahzad RETWEETLIKES](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/190/862/fdc.jpg)
Spread
Following @cheeahs tweets in late June 2016, other Twitter users began promoting the hashtag #SafetyPin in opposition to racism and xenophobia (shown below). In the coming days, various news sites published articles about the campaign, including The Independent,[1] Think Progress[9] and The Guardian.[10]
![@clinteldorado's tweet head Motörgregg @clinteldorado Follow EU citizens and immigrants: you're safe around me. #safetypin 11:18 AM 28 Jun 2016 다 117 242](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/190/864/8d4.jpg)
![@johannariley's Tweet Citizen G @johannariley Follow #safetypin wear yours with pride and purpose. 7:04 AM- 28 Jun 2016 다 68 89](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/190/863/585.jpg)
![Fuad Alakbarov's Tweet Fuad Alakbarov @DrAlakbarov Follow I'm also wearing #safetypin to show solidarity with immigrants and EU citizens. #HopeNotHate 4:16 AM 29 Jun 2016 わ 124 253](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/190/867/a90.jpg)
2016 United States Presidential Election
On November 10th, 2016, people began promoting the safety pins in protest of Donald Trump's election as the 45th President of the United States (shown below).
![@happifydesign tweet happify @happitydesign な Follow #safetypin on, in solidarity with those who Trump hates. I am a safe ally & I believe in a better world than the one I woke up to yesterday 냐 RETWEETS LIKES tr】 i7-靨冖.w. 293 488 3:39 PM 10 Nov 2016 t3293 488](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/190/856/b96.jpg)
![b00kn00k Instagram post Following the "Brexit" vote, many people in the UK took up the safety pin to show their solidarity with refugees and immigrants so that without a word people may see your safety pin and know that you're a friendly face, that they are "safe" with you I wear a safety pin to show that immigrants, refugees and anyone else threatened by the hate & fear mongering of Trump and many of his supporters can know that I care and will do all I can to combat xenophobia, racism, sexism, and ableisnm](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/190/860/f3d.jpg)
![Jen Baldwin's Tweet Jen Baldwin @ancestryjourney Follow #pantsuitnation #safetypin "I am an ally. I will stand for your right to be who you are. I am safe." 12:55 PM-10 Nov 2016 わ다 267 () 431](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/190/861/894.jpg)
On November 11th, Star Wars: Rogue One screenwriter Chris Weitz posted the Rebellion symbol from the film with a safety pin, along with the message "Star Wars against hate. Spread it" (shown below).
!["Star Wars against hate" tweet by Chris Weitz Chris Weitz @chrisweitz Follow Star Wars against hate. Spread it. RETWEETS LIKES 2,737 3,454 10:06 AM - 11 Nov 2016 わ 誠画 12-2.7K 箩3.5K](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/190/845/692.jpg)
That same day, Twitter user Morgan Jerkins expressed frustration with the safety pins, stating she would prefer people to "work and educate yourself and your loved ones on white supremacy" (shown below, left).[8] Meanwhile, actor Patrick Stewart tweeted a photograph of himself wearing a safety pin (shown below, right).[7] Also on November 11th, Redditor GamerGhazzawi submitted a post asking about the pins to /r/OutOfTheLoop.[6]
![Morgan Jerkins Tweet Morgan Jerkins @MorganJerkins Follow We don't need you to wear a #safetypin. We need you to do the work and educate yourself and your loved ones on white supremacy 10:37 AM-11 Nov 2016 다 326 726](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/190/849/91a.jpg)
![Patrick Stewart Tweet Patrick Stewart @SirPatStew # 으.. Folio Follovw #Safetypin RETWEETS LIKES 10,617 27,336 爨白 団園盆圞0 1:26 PM 11 Nov 2016 £711K 27K](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/190/855/ec4.jpg)
On November 12th, The Huffington Post[3] published an article titled "Dear White People, Your Safety Pins Are Embarassing," which criticized the pins as a empty gesture of support for marginalized groups. Meanwhile, a thread was launched on 4chan about the pins, in which various users suggested launching a troll campaign to associated the pins with support for Donald Trump or white supremacy (shown below). On November 14th, The Daily Dot[2] reported that the safety pins were being "co-opted by white supremacists."
![4chan Thread screenshot O Anonymous (ID: 8sFPSB/ ) 1-1 11/12/16(Sat)10:57:49 No.98114013 ▶ 98 114306 8113306 nins? Why not safety pins? We can just t support trump" Images.. Hell we dont even have to wear the pins, just make the pictures roll them by making 'wear safety pins to show you](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/190/852/e45.png)
Search Interest
External References
[1] The Independent – #SafetyPin
[2] The Daily Dot – The safety pin symbol for solidarity is being co-opted by white supremacists
[3] The Huffington Post – Dear White People Your Safety Pins Are Embarrassing
[4] Twitter – @chrisweitz
[5] Archive.is – 4chan thread
[6] Reddit – What does the safety pin symbolize?
[7] Twitter – @SirPatStew
[8] Twitter – @MorganJerkins
[9] Think Progress – After Brexit
[10] The Guardian – The safety pins puncturing post-Brexit racism
Top Comments
Hyperion235
Nov 14, 2016 at 05:32PM EST
Nedhitis
Nov 14, 2016 at 05:21PM EST