Can you get in trouble for drawing a swastika on a sidewalk with chalk?

Freedom of expression, right? And if I could get in trouble with that, I should get in trouble for drawing a Star of David, since Israel has committed immense atrocities and displaced millions of people.
Or even a christian cross in chalk on a sidewalk, because christians killed plenty of people themselves, in the crusades or even modern wars or whatnot. So either yes for all or no for all.
What is it?
Additional Details
It's a hate crime only if you think it is. It is my right to draw whatever symbol I want. Whether it be a six-pointed star or a rectangle.

cwstufff

yes
A sidewalk is public property.
A swastika is a hate-symbol
So to apply a swastika to public property is a crime,

diva

yes, considering the sidewalk is not your property, but the city property

Blue Steel & Lace

Well, you are guaranteed free speech by the Constitution.
However, drawing a Swastika on the sidewalk in front of a synagogue could be classified as a hate crime; just as writing the "N" word on the sidewalk in front of Jesse Jackson's house could be construed as the same thing.
The hate crime laws are meant to supplement the broad interpretations of the First Amendment.

plhudson01

yes you can get in trouble. it is called de-faceing public property

Hazza

Depends where u live if in germany its considered evil an u get arested pretty much the same every where else except india cos its a hindu sighn backwards an you could say u drew it the wrong way round

Ocean

no(as long as its chalk)

if u did somethin perminant than you could get into trouble with the law

im not saying its right to draw it because that is very WRONG!but u cant get introuble if u were going to be that low and draw it!

KND

yes, it is true you can draw whatever want. But the sidewalk is public property so you could potentially get into trouble for defacement.
I would like to note that the swastika was, I think, an egyptian symbal before it was a Nazi symbol. It all depends what a symbol means to the person viewing it.

Ms Angel

Drawing a swastika may be considered a hate crime. If local law forbids it and you're caught doing it, then yes, you could be in trouble. A Star of David or a cross is not considered hate speech. Your question cannot be answered all yes or all no.

Cardinal Fang

I think it depends WHY you're drawing a swastika. If you're doing it as part of a representation of your (bigoted) belief that whites are superior to others, then yes you may.

However, remember that the swastika is a widely-used sacred symbol in Dharmic religions (Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism).

You often see swastikas with a dot in each quadrant in Hindu decorations. It is often imprinted on religious texts, marriage invitations, decorations etc. It is used to mark religious flags in Jainism and to mark Buddhist temples in Asia. If you are using it in that context, it would be difficult to see how the authorities could act against it.

Bear in mind though that you could still get in trouble for drawing it on the pavement simply because that constitutes grafitti.

Sarge

Poor taste but a crime in present day Germany.

Munya Says: DUH!

Do you want fries with that?

sciencegeek+

it maybe vandalism. but why a swastika? are you that low in self esteem.

Guess Who

Have you heard of Hate crime?

Suchness

swastika was used by fashist and they made terrible crimes. no other sign of religion was more wrongly used than swastika. so it lost its positive meaning and therefore it could not be used anywhere.
why don't you draw Lotus Flower that is always pure, positive and good?

i pack a 44

no for all................

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