The cup was placed behind Ed Mullins, president of the Benevolent Association of Sergeants, during an approximately seven-minute interview on Fox News’ “Your World with Neil Cavuto”.
Followers of the QAnon conspiracy believe that there is a “deep state” within the United States government that is controlled by a clique of pedophiles who worship Satan. According to the conspiracy, the clique is largely run by Democratic politicians and liberal celebrities, and President Donald Trump is trying to defeat them. Unsubstantiated theory has been linked to several violent incidents.
The mug behind Mullins featured the word “QANON” and the hashtag # WWG1WGA, meaning “where we go one, we all go”, a catchphrase popular with QAnon supporters. In the center of the mug was a large letter Q, which refers to an alleged government member who, according to QAnon supporters, publishes cryptic clues on the internet about the “deep state.”
More than a year ago, the FBI assessed QAnon as a dangerous move that would likely inspire its most extreme members to commit violent acts of domestic terrorism.
Mullins and the union did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio retweeted an image of the cup and called it “delusional.”
Detectives on social media quickly noted that Mullins gave at least two conservative media interviews last week from the same office, with the same QAnon mug in the background.
The interview was about the recent increase in violent crime in some of the largest cities in the United States, including New York City. Mullins has an antagonistic relationship with city leadership and recently exchanged comments with de Blasio’s liberal, who signed a budget that transferred and slashed $ 1 billion from the New York police.
For the past few weeks, QAnon supporters have been posting videos of themselves reciting an oath and repeating the slogan “where we go one, let’s all go” seen on the mug. They say they are preparing “digital soldiers” for an apocalyptic trial, when thousands of “deep state” pedophiles will be arrested and prosecuted in military courts in Guantanamo Bay.
“It is terrifying that someone so closely connected to law enforcement apparently supports the ideas of Q, who is dedicated to the illegal and unconstitutional use of the armed forces as a police force to hold courts and execute the enemies of the United States,” he said. Mike Rothschild, who recently published a book that examines and debunks some of the more prominent conspiracy theories.
Flashes from the far-right conspiracy movement have infiltrated mainstream politics.
There is a small but growing contingent of Republican candidates who have been linked to the QAnon movement and are on the ballot this November. And former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn recently posted a video of himself featuring family members reciting the QAnon oath and slogans. His lawyer told CNN that he did not believe the video was controversial.
CNN’s Mark Morales contributed to this report.
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