Virginia Enacts Law To Ban Nazi Symbols, Protects Sacred Swastika From Misrepresentation

Last Updated:July 02, 2025, 08:29 IST

The final version of the Bill marks a major victory for minority communities in Virginia, particularly after a strong advocacy effort led by the CoHNA and allied groups.

An image identifying the difference between the two. (Pic: CoHNA)

Virginia has officially enacted House Bill 2783, which criminalises the display of Nazi symbols, including Hitler’s Hakenkreuz (Hooked Cross), when used with the intent to intimidate. The law, effective from July 1, makes such acts a Class 6 felony. What makes this legislation particularly historic is a culturally sensitive amendment that clearly differentiates Hitler’s Hakenkreuz, a symbol of hate, from the sacred Swastika, an ancient symbol of peace and prosperity revered by nearly two billion Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and other communities worldwide.

The final version of the Bill marks a major victory for minority communities in Virginia, particularly after a strong advocacy effort led by the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) and allied groups. “We are pleased to see how Virginia is tackling growing hate while being sensitive to minority groups that revere the Swastika," said Nikunj Trivedi, President of CoHNA.

He added, “Now the need of the hour is for the media, law enforcement, and educational institutions in Virginia to update their language to reflect this critical nuance and ensure fair treatment for all."

Evolution of HB2783

Initially, HB2783 had a major cultural oversight—wrongly referring to the Nazi symbol as the Swastika. In reality, Hitler never used the word ‘Swastika’; his symbol was the ‘Hakenkreuz’—German for ‘Hooked Cross.’ The Bill’s early wording incorrectly suggested that the Nazi emblem was “commonly known as the Swastika," inadvertently linking a sacred symbol to one of history’s darkest ideologies.

Despite this, the Bill originally passed the Virginia House of Delegates unanimously (97-0). This prompted a swift, weekend-long grassroots campaign led by CoHNA, mobilising over 1,000 individuals to contact lawmakers demanding urgent corrections. Working with legal experts, interfaith allies, and community leaders, the campaign pushed for precise language that accurately reflected historical facts.

Governor Glenn Youngkin even returned the Bill for further revisions, incorporating community-requested changes before signing it into law. The final legislation now draws a clear distinction between Nazi hate symbols and the sacred Swastika, offering a template for other states on how to tackle hate while respecting cultural and religious diversity.

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News world Virginia Enacts Law To Ban Nazi Symbols, Protects Sacred Swastika From Misrepresentation