The US Coast Guard denied claims it’s revising its insurance policies to reclassify hate symbols, together with the swastika and nooses, as “probably divisive” symbols — slamming the suggestion as “categorically false.”
The declare, first reported by the Washington Publish on Thursday afternoon, picks aside the Coast Guard’s “Harassing Habits Prevention, Response, and Accountability” handbook that was authorized this month.
The army department flatly denied the outlet’s report that it was planning to reclassify its record of hate symbols.
“The claims that the U.S. Coast Guard will not classify swastikas, nooses or different extremist imagery as prohibited symbols are categorically false,” Admiral Kevin Lunday, appearing commandant of the US Coast Guard, wrote in an announcement on X. “These symbols have been and stay prohibited within the Coast Guard per coverage. Any show, use or promotion of such symbols, as at all times, shall be completely investigated and severely punished.”
“The Coast Guard stays unwavering in its dedication to fostering a secure, respectful {and professional} office. Symbols comparable to swastikas, nooses and different extremist or racist imagery violate our core values and are handled with the seriousness they warrant beneath present coverage.”
The Coast Guard harassment handbook lists six main adjustments coming to its insurance policies.
The Washington Publish’s report largely revolves across the fourth listed change, which states that “[t]he terminology ‘hate incident’ is not current in coverage,” and the following removing of the time period “hate image” from the insurance policies, which isn’t straight addressed beneath the key adjustments.
As a substitute, typical hate symbols like nooses, swastikas, and “any symbols or flags co-opted or adopted by hate-based teams” are relegated beneath “probably divisive symbols and flags,” in accordance with the coverage.
The US Division of Homeland Safety, which oversees the Coast Guard and revealed the brand new coverage doc by itself web site, accused the Washington Publish of “making issues up” in a put up on X.
In a gathering with America’s prime generals and admirals in late September, Secretary of Battle Pete Hegseth promised a sweeping overhaul of the army’s insurance policies that have been creating “division.”
“Extra management adjustments shall be made. Of that, I’m sure,” Hegseth mentioned.
Whereas the Coast Guard will not be part of the Division of Battle, it has been aligning its insurance policies to fulfill a number of of Hegseth’s calls for.
Many didn’t purchase into the Coast Guard or DHS’s responses.
“Welcome to Donald Trump’s America, the place swastikas are not thought-about hate symbols. That is unacceptable. Jewish Individuals are much less secure when antisemitic hate is normalized by our authorities,” the Jewish Democratic Council of America mentioned in an announcement to Haaretz.
Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, a Democrat, mentioned that the shift is “disgusting” and a gross try and “normalize hate.”
“Swastikas, nooses, Accomplice flags are symbols of hate,” he plainly advised the outlet.
The brand new insurance policies specified by the textual content will take impact on Dec. 15, in accordance with the doc.
