The CEO of JPMorgan Chase was photographed on one knee in front of a large bank vault on Friday.
Jamie Dimon’s first public sighting since he underwent heart surgery three months ago has prompted questions about whether he was “taking a knee” in solidarity with widespread anti-racism protests.
According to a spokesperson for JPMorgan, the photo took place at his local Chase branch in Mt. Kisco, New York.
RT reports: His bank declined to confirm whether there was a deeper meaning behind the photograph, but Dimon had previously voiced sympathy for the demonstrations, stating that Chase was “committed to fighting against racism and discrimination wherever and however it exists.”
For social media, the possibility that uber-wealthy Dimon had engaged in some rather transparent virtue signaling was too much to bear.
“You don’t have to be broke to be woke,” joked one unimpressed Twitter user.
Others pointed out that Dimon’s powerful bank has been accused of racism and discrimination in the past. JPMorgan Chase was also blamed for purposefully targeting black neighborhoods with subprime loans, and even gave millions of dollars to the NYPD.
If Dimon was in fact trying to show his solidarity with protesters, he likely did so out of fear rather than genuine support, noted one commenter.
During the mayhem last week, rioters set fire to a Chase bank in La Mesa, a suburb of San Diego. Other banks and ATMs have also been targeted by protesters. The kneeling phenomenon has split public opinion, with some arguing that it is a form of submission, while others have applauded the gesture as a show of solidarity with the black community. Photographs showing police officers and even national guardsmen taking a knee have further polarized the debate.