Last week in Chicago I saw a young looking person (late teens, early 20s) with a crossed hammer patch on their bag. See image for an example.
For those unaware, this symbol was used in Pink Floyd's film/music project The Wall, where the crossed hammers marked the flag of a fictional British fascist group, representing the IRL undercurrent of fascism within Thatcher's politics.
Anyway, this person had no other obvious political signaling on their clothing. Does anyone know if this is an IRL political signal, or do Pink Floyd fans just go around wearing it?
I recognise it as being used by Pink Floyd, but I don't recognise it as a symbol of Pink Floyd fandom β that's more commonly the prism, or any of the album covers.
Could just be a symbol they thought looked cool without any real meaning behind it. Something like that, I'd just ask. And play dumb in case they're dangerous. Like "isn't that from Pink Floyd or something?" If they shy away from the question or say something like "nah it means something else" it's probably exactly what you think it is. Then again, if it is Pink Floyd, expect a lecture. Just tell them A Momentary Lapse of Reason was better than Dark Side of the Moon and see if they write you off as crazy rather than try to correct you. (I do personally think Momentary Lapse was the better album, but I'm not about to tell a Pink Floyd fan that. The hot take I will share with one is that the one with the stupidly long title on Ummagumma (they'll tell you the whole name) is one of their most ambitious tracks. That, I think, might at least get some respect. (The title is something like "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Grooving With a Pict." But I think there's more to it.)
After Pink Floyd used it, the Hammerskins adopted the symbol. Theyβre a pretty big white power skinhead group. They even hold little neo Nazi music festivals.
Remember that shooting of the Sikh temple in Wisconsin? That guy was associated with the Hammerskins.
iirc it's 'several species of small furry animals gathered in a cave grooving with a pict'
The animals in question are also gathered together in a cave.
Wish you were here bests them both.
Hats off to Roy Harper!