When police began investigating a noose found hanging from a tree outside the University of Maryland at College Park Nyumburu Cultural Center last September, an incident initially classified as a hate crime, no actual law had been broken.

But if the Maryland General Assembly passes the No Nooses Act, such an incident would be classified a crime. The act bans the placement of a swastika sign or a noose — a symbol historically representing the lynchings of blacks during the 19th and 20th centuries — on public or private properties without permission of the owner, said Delegate Victor Ramirez (D-Prince George’s), one of the bill’s sponsors.

“We cannot have people living in fear,” Ramirez said. “I heard about the issue directly from a constituent. I believe in it; that’s also why I support it.”

University Police Spokesman Paul Dillon said officers investigated the noose incident on the campus to determine whether it was intended to be a threat, not because the act of hanging a noose is considered illegal under state law. After completing the investigation, police turn their findings over to the state attorney’s office, which decides if the law has been broken, Dillon added.