Taking away symbols of hate
Chang seeks to ban nooses, swastikas as ways to intimidate
Anne Arundel County Del. Mark Chang’s bill to crack down on the use of nooses and swastikas was the first bill to land in front of the House Judiciary Committee this legislative session.
Chang pre-filed the bill before the Maryland Assembly reconvened last week.
He introduced it for the first time late last session, but lawmakers ran out of time to pass it.
The District 32 Democrat hopes the bill will have a better chance of success this time around.
“We can’t go another session without addressing this,” Chang told lawmakers.
If passed, it would criminalize the use of nooses and swastikas to intimidate an individual or a group.
“This will really send a message out to people who have these thoughts, that it’s not right,” Chang said.
The bill’s introduction came on the heels of a failed 2017 hate crime case in which a county judge found a man not guilty after a noose was found at Crofton Middle School.
The judge later called Mark Chang on lawmakers to adjust hate crime laws to include acts that target groups of people, not just individuals.
Lawmakers did change the laws last session, but Chang wanted to take it further with his noose bill.
The delegate said the issue is “near and dear” to him. At the age of 7, Chang said someone hanged a dead cat from the fence of his family home.
Delegates largely showed support for the bill, but are struggling to define exactly what the legislation should cover.
Del. Charles Sydnor III mentioned the bill’s language surrounding property. As is, the legislation bans nooses and swastikas from being placed on “any building or real property” without consent from the owner.
Sydnor suggested the bill cover all property. In August, 15 cars in a black Baltimore County neighborhood were van-
Chang pre-filed the bill before the Maryland Assembly reconvened last week.
He introduced it for the first time late last session, but lawmakers ran out of time to pass it.
The District 32 Democrat hopes the bill will have a better chance of success this time around.
“We can’t go another session without addressing this,” Chang told lawmakers.
If passed, it would criminalize the use of nooses and swastikas to intimidate an individual or a group.
“This will really send a message out to people who have these thoughts, that it’s not right,” Chang said.
The bill’s introduction came on the heels of a failed 2017 hate crime case in which a county judge found a man not guilty after a noose was found at Crofton Middle School.
The judge later called Mark Chang on lawmakers to adjust hate crime laws to include acts that target groups of people, not just individuals.
Lawmakers did change the laws last session, but Chang wanted to take it further with his noose bill.
The delegate said the issue is “near and dear” to him. At the age of 7, Chang said someone hanged a dead cat from the fence of his family home.
Delegates largely showed support for the bill, but are struggling to define exactly what the legislation should cover.
Del. Charles Sydnor III mentioned the bill’s language surrounding property. As is, the legislation bans nooses and swastikas from being placed on “any building or real property” without consent from the owner.
Sydnor suggested the bill cover all property. In August, 15 cars in a black Baltimore County neighborhood were van-
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