Bell Ringers' Racist Patches Leave Salvation Army 'Embarrassed'

VALPARAISO, IN — The Salvation Army issued an apology and said members of a northwest Indiana motorcycle group won't be allowed to volunteer as bell-ringers in the future after they were recently photographed sporting white supremacist patches outside a Valparaiso Walmart, according to the Times of Northwest Indiana. The news report said members of the Hells Angels Northwest Indiana Region motorcycle club were spotted outside the store over the weekend, wearing patches that included a Confederate flag and the word “Aryan.”

According to the Times, Lt. Christopher Nicolai of the Salvation Army of Porter County said the Salvation Army was "embarrassed" that it was "unable to prevent this incident."

Nicolai told the Times the reported bell ringers didn't comply with the organization's dress code, which is part of the Salvation Army's commitment to nondiscrimination and requires them to wear "red Salvation Army aprons, and making it clear that no ‘symbol, marking, or lettering that is viewed as discrimination’ may be worn."

“We made the Salvation Army aware and they apologized,”a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement to CBS Chicago, adding that the volunteers were asked to leave once employees were notified. “The Salvation Army is responsible for screening its volunteers stationed outside our stores. We’ve had a long history of supporting the Salvation Army and regret this isolated incident.”

@SalvationArmyUS So being gay in any way is unacceptable, but racists are just fine in your good book? #BoycottSalvationArmy
Valparaiso Indiana's Walmart has Aryan Brotherhood bellringing for the Salvation Army today pic.twitter.com/VEEHbiAU9A
— haggis (@eykiw) November 24, 2018

Photo credit: (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)