Overview
- The Washington Post reported a draft policy reclassifying the swastika, a lynching noose and the Confederate flag from hate incidents to “potentially divisive,” with a planned December 15 start date.
- Acting Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday called claims of permissiveness “categorically false,” stating these symbols remain banned and will continue to be investigated and punished.
- Lunday’s memorandum says the phrase “potentially divisive” is not in the directive, countering descriptions circulated in earlier coverage.
- Coast Guard spokesperson Jennifer Plozai said the service disagreed with the Post’s characterization and will review the directive’s wording.
- Reports also describe contested procedural shifts, including a 45‑day deadline to report incidents and required legal consultations for commanders, which critics and some personnel warn could hinder reporting at sea.