US EditionCoast Guard reverses course on policy to call swastikas and nooses ‘potentially divisive’
The U.S. Coast Guard initially reclassified swastikas and nooses as 'potentially divisive' symbols but reversed this after public and congressional backlash.
- On Nov. 20, internal Coast Guard materials showed swastikas and nooses were reclassified as `potentially divisive` with the change set to take effect Dec. 15.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's review prompted service-wide rewrites, with the U.S. Coast Guard aligning its policies to narrow harassment and extremism definitions across other military services.
- Eliminating the `hate incident` label, the guidance routes such conduct into harassment reports, requires Coast Guard supervisors to consult legal offices before ordering removals, and sets a 45-day reporting deadline.
- Late Thursday the Coast Guard published a memo reaffirming prohibitions after Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, and Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Illinois, condemned the reclassification and urged reversal.
- With Coast Guard deployments lasting months, Coast Guard service members at sea face concerns that the 60-day reporting window could deter victims, reflecting broader federal military realignment mirroring Pentagon directives.
182 Articles
182 Articles
Coast Guard Policy Shift on Swastikas, Nooses Sparks Backlash, Prompts Clarification on Hate Symbols
The Coast Guard is facing criticism after issuing a revised harassment policy that reclassified swastikas and nooses as "potentially divisive" rather than explicit symbols of hatred
Pappas Condemns Previously Planned USCG Change in Hate Symbol Policy
Washington, DC – Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), member of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, led 29 of his colleagues, including Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), in a letter condemning a U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) policy that was set to take effect on December 15, 2025, reclassifying swastikas, nooses, and the Confederate flag as ‘potentially divis…
US Coast Guard Reclassifies Swastikas & Nooses as Hate Symbols After Policy Reversal
Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date. The United States Coast Guard has reversed a controversial internal policy that initially reclassified hate symbols like swastikas and nooses as merely “potentially divisive.” G…
Coast Guard reverses hate symbol policy
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard 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"
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