The U.S. Coast Guard has scrapped references in its new workplace harassment policy that characterized hate symbols such as swastikas and nooses as “potentially divisive” following uproar from Congress.
Last month, The Washington Post first reported that the military branch planned to quietly downgrade hate symbols to “potentially divisive,” which meant the Coast Guard may not be required to remove hateful signage even if it was reported by a service member.
The Coast Guard “wanted to strike the ‘potentially divisive’ wording from the document but was unable to do so,” according to the Post, citing two people familiar with the policy.
Following weeks of turmoil over the matter, Homeland Security Kristi Noem, whose agency oversees the Coast Guard, announced Thursday that the wording will be “completely removed from the record so no press outlet, entity or elected official may misrepresent the Coast Guard to politicize their policies and lie about their position on divisive and hate symbols.”
The move appears to cap off back-and-forth revisions to Coast Guard policy on swastikas, nooses and other hate symbols, which sparked outrage. The Department of Homeland Security has said there “was never a ‘downgrade’” in policy language.
open image in galleryNoem’s announcement came a day after Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada said she was holding up the nomination of Adm. Kevin Lunday for Coast Guard commandant because leadership appeared to have “backtracked” on a commitment that swastikas and nooses are considered hate symbols and prohibited from display.
Rosen said Thursday on social media that she was lifting the hold and looked forward to working with Lunday to continue strengthening anti-harassment policy at the Coast Guard.
“While I continue to have reservations about the process by which this happened and the confusion created by leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, I am pleased to see that the policy now directly refers to stronger language against swastikas and nooses,” she said.
Noem called the delay of Lunday's nomination a “politicized holdup,” saying it had gone on long enough and he should be confirmed without delay.
open image in gallery“He has given nearly 39 years of distinguished service to the Coast Guard, this country, and the American people,” she said.
The Coast Guard’s planned policy change calling hate symbols “potentially divisive” emerged publicly last month. It stopped short of banning them, instead saying that commanders could take steps to remove them from public view and that the rule did not apply to private spaces, such as family housing.
The Department of Homeland Security has said the change “strengthens our ability to report, investigate, and prosecute those who violate longstanding policy.”
The Coast Guard said on social media that it “maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward hate symbols, extremist ideology, and any conduct that undermines our core values. We prohibit the display or promotion of hate symbols in any form. Any suggestion otherwise is false.”
