The U.S. Coast Guard will reportedly no longer consider swastikas, nooses, or the Confederate flag to be hate symbols, according to guidelines set to take effect next month.
Under the new rules, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post, these symbols will instead be considered âpotentially divisiveâ imagery, though flying the Confederate flag will remain banned.
âWe donât deserve the trust of the nation if weâre unclear about the divisiveness of swastikas,â an anonymous Coast Guard official who has seen the new policy told the paper.
âIf you are at sea, and your shipmate has a swastika in their rack, and you are a Black person or Jew, and you are going to be stuck at sea with them for the next 60 days, are you going to feel safe reporting that up your chain of command?â the official added.
The Independent has contacted the Coast Guard and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, for comment.
Under the guidelines, which reportedly take effect December 15, Coast Guard personnel have 45 days, rather than a previous open-ended window, to report displays of such symbols and superiors may order them taken down after consulting with their legal office.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated with new information.
