New York: The Coalition of Hindus of North America (COHNA) called out Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and The Wall Street Journal to issue a correction to the paid advertisement published on January 26, 2026, which equates swastika with Nazi symbolism and contains a factually inaccurate and deeply offensive statement about the Swastika.
In his apology for antisemitic remarks, Mr. Ye stated that he “gravitated towards the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika.”
“This statement insults nearly two billion Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and adherents of other indigenous faiths worldwide for whom the Swastika is a sacred symbol,” CoHNA said in a press release.
This is not the first time CoHNA has corrected Mr. Ye on this matter. “In February 2025, when he was selling T-shirts with the Hakenkreuz, we reminded Shopify, the media, and the public that Hitler’s symbol is not the Swastika, said Nikunj Trivedi, president of CoHNA. It is deeply disappointing that a year later, he and esteemed institutions like the Wall Street Journal continue to perpetuate this harmful misinformation that threatens the religious freedom of billions of people to practice their faith and use their sacred symbols.”
While we acknowledge Mr. Ye’s attempt to apologize for past harms, we cannot accept the perpetuation of another harmful falsehood that stigmatizes the sacred symbol of billions of people. Accuracy and cultural context matter, especially in statements of this magnitude and reach.
“For thousands of years, the swastika has symbolized auspiciousness, good fortune and well-being in Dharmic traditions,” CoHNA president Nikunj Trivedi said. “Equating it with a symbol of hate is deeply offensive and undermines the religious freedom of millions who use this sacred symbol in their daily lives.”
The group also called on The Wall Street Journal, where Ye’s remarks appeared in a paid advertisement, to issue a correction clarifying the distinction between the Nazi symbol and the swastika used in Eastern religions. CoHNA pointed out that this distinction has been formally recognised by lawmakers in parts of the US and Canada.
