New England Patriots rookie Justin Rohrwasser claims he’ll be removing his controversial tattoo that is associated with the right-wing militia group, ”The Three Percenters.”
Rohrwasser, 23, who was drafted in the 5th round, No. 159 overall, during Saturday’s night NFL’s draft, told Boston’s WBZ-TV sports reporter Steve Burton that the tattoo doesn’t represent who he is.
”As soon as I saw what it was linked to on Saturday, it was exactly that time I knew I had to get it totally taken off my body. I said cover it up [to reporters], but I want to get it removed from my body. It’s shameful that I had it on there ignorantly,” Rohrasser said.
Rohrwasser tells Burton that he believed the tattoo symbolized support for the US military.
”It was described to me as the percentage of colonists that rose up against the [authoritarian] government of the British. I was like, ‘Wow, that is such an American sentiment. A patriotic sentiment.’ Coming from a military family, I thought that really spoke to me. I always was proud to be an American. I’m very proud to be an American.”
The Three Percenters group says via there website that they’re not anti-government, but “we will defend ourselves when necessary.”
In the interview with Burton, Rohrwasser said up until being drafted, he had no prior knowledge of what the tattoo meant.
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”The first time I found out what it was linked to was on Saturday. That’s why it was so surprising. We were celebrating and hugging [on Saturday]. So happy. I went on to Twitter. I saw that someone had taken a picture of me and put it with my tattoo and linking me to some horrific events. Obviously Charlottesville, and these horrible things.”
Rohrwasser seemed to get emotional during the interview, offering an apology to his family and friends.
”I’m sorry for all my [friends] and family that have to defend me. Putting them in that compromising position is one of the biggest regrets I’ll ever have. To them, I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m going to learn from this. I’m going to take ownership of it. This is not who I am. No matter what, that’s not who I am. Hopefully, you will all find that out.”
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