WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) successfully pushed the Coast Guard to reverse its recent decision to no longer prohibit nor classify swastikas and nooses as symbols whose display constituted “potential hate incidents.” This reversal came after Senator Rosen called on the Trump Administration to stop the changes before they went into effect and after a productive conversation with the Acting Commandant of the Coast Guard about the need to combat antisemitism and hate in all of their forms. At the same time, Senator Rosen is still pushing for the Trump Administration to strengthen this policy and protect the men and women of the Coast Guard from hate.
Washington Post: U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
- The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika — an emblem of fascism and white supremacy inextricably linked to the murder of millions of Jews and the deaths of more than 400,000 U.S. troops who died fighting in World War II — as a hate symbol, according to a new policy that takes effect next month.
- Instead, the Coast Guard will classify the Nazi-era insignia as “potentially divisive” under its new guidelines. The policy, set to take effect Dec. 15, similarly downgrades the classification of nooses and the Confederate flag, though display of the latter remains banned, according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post.
- Certain historical displays or artwork where the Confederate flag is a minor element are still permissible, according to the policy.
- The new policy drew concern from Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), a Commerce Committee member who called on the Trump administration to reverse the changes before they take effect.
- “At a time when antisemitism is rising in the United States and around the world, relaxing policies aimed at fighting hate crimes not only sends the wrong message to the men and women of our Coast Guard, but it puts their safety at risk,” Rosen said in a statement to The Post.
- Rosen noted that the wording in the new Coast Guard policy “could allow for horrifically hateful symbols like swastikas and nooses to be inexplicably permitted to be displayed.” The new guidance says that if a “potentially divisive” symbol is reported, supervisors should inquire about it. After consulting their legal office they may order the symbol’s removal, but there’s no further guidance requiring that it be taken down.
ABC: Coast Guard reverses course on policy to call swastikas and nooses ‘potentially divisive’
- The U.S. Coast Guard has released a new, firmer policy addressing the display of hate symbols like swastikas and nooses just hours after it was publicly revealed that it made plans to describe them as “potentially divisive” — a term that prompted outcry from lawmakers and advocates.
- “Divisive or hate symbols and flags are prohibited,” the latest Coast Guard policy, released late Thursday, declared before adding that this category included “a noose, a swastika, and any symbols or flags co-opted or adopted by hate-based groups.”
- After the initial policy change became public, Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada said the change “rolls back important protections against bigotry and could allow for horrifically hateful symbols like swastikas and nooses to be inexplicably permitted to be displayed.”
BET: Nooses and Swastikas: Did The U.S. Coast Guard Just Backpeddle on Anti-Racist Policy?
- On Thursday, rumors swelled around the U.S. Coast Guard’s policy change for Coast Guard members, alleging that the display of racist symbols would be re-classified as a lesser offense.
- The news came after The Washington Post broke the story that the Coast Guard had drafted a new policy, classifying hate symbols such as nooses, swastikas, and confederate flags as “potentially divisive.”
- It’s the addition of the “potentially” that drew droves of condemnation on social media and from various officials. Before the publication of the story, Coast Guard spokeswoman Jennifer Plozai said by phone to The Post that the organization disagreed with the outlet’s reporting and intended to further examine its policy changes.
- After the initial alleged policy change was shared with the public, Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada said the change “rolls back important protections against bigotry and could allow for horrifically hateful symbols like swastikas and nooses to be inexplicably permitted to be displayed.”
Jewish Insider: Lankford, Rosen press Coast Guard commandant over swastika policy changes
- Sens. James Lankford (R-OK) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), the co-chairs of the Senate antisemitism task force, wrote to Adm. Kevin Lunday, the acting commandant of the Coast Guard, raising additional questions about policy changes regarding displays of swastikas.
- The Washington Post reported Thursday that the Coast Guard would no longer consider swastikas to be prohibited hate symbols, but rather “potentially divisive.” The policy was walked back — but Lankford and Rosen’s letter asks for details about changes to the investigative process for such incidents, which remain unchanged in the updated policy.
- Per the letter, under previous policies, a full investigation was required for displays of a swastika, whereas the new policy requires a potentially less stringent process, an inquiry by the relevant commanding officer.
- “In order for the Coast Guard to fully protect those who serve, any inquiry regarding conduct involving imagery historically associated with genocide, terror, and racial subjugation must, at a minimum, be full and transparent to ensure the civil rights of those impacted are protected and conducted in a manner in which victims feel safe to report these incidents,” the lawmakers wrote.
Associated Press: Senators want answers from Coast Guard on how it probes displays of swastikas or other hate symbols
- Two senators who lead a bipartisan antisemitism task force said Friday they want more information from the U.S. Coast Guard about how it will investigate incidents of swastikas, nooses or other hate symbols being displayed in its ranks.
- The Coast Guard late Thursday released a new, firmer policy addressing the display of such hate symbols, just hours after it was publicly revealed that an emerging policy would have loosened the language to describe them only as “potentially divisive.” That had drawn a swift outcry from Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and other lawmakers.
- Rosen and Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., sent a letter on Friday to Adm. Kevin Lunday, the acting commandant of the Coast Guard, who had released the memo late Thursday to make clear that “hate symbols and flags are prohibited.”
- The senators, who said they spoke to Lunday on Thursday, called the new policy a “step in the right direction to affirm the Coast Guard’s commitment to maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all its members.”
KOLO Reno: Rosen claims Coast Guard removing swastikas, nooses as hate symbols, DHS denies claims
- U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen is accusing the U.S. Coast Guard of revoking the classification of swastikas and nooses as hate symbols, an accusation the DHS and the Coast Guard are denying.
- A Thursday article by the Washington Post claimed they would be removing the symbols.
- “At a time when antisemitism is rising in the United States and around the world, relaxing policies aimed at fighting hate crimes not only sends the wrong message to the men and women of our Coast Guard, but it puts their safety at risk,”said Senator Rosen.“This updated policy rolls back important protections against bigotry and could allow for horrifically hateful symbols like swastikas and nooses to be inexplicably permitted to be displayed. The Trump Administration must reverse course and reinstate the strong protections against hate symbols immediately.”
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