The Other Red Hat

(You'll like this one better)

February 26 is a special day. Read on to find out why, and what it has to do with my favorite hobby, knitting, and protesting against government oppression.

Even if you’re not a knitter, you may have heard the story about the red hats people knit in Norway during World War II. In Nazi-occupied Norway, they became an unlikely symbol of resistance. They were a nod back to red stocking caps that Santa’s elves were depicted wearing in Norwegian folklore, adopted as a symbol of protest and community. They were ultimately banned by a proclamation that read:

“Warning. Red top hats. The use of red top hats has increased so much in recent times that it is now considered a demonstration. The use of these hats is therefore prohibited as of Thursday, February 26, 1942. From this day on, top hats will be taken away from anyone who appears wearing them and criminal liability will be imposed on the person concerned - for children under 14 years of age - against the parents or guardians.”

Red protest hats were banned in Norway with “Advarsel” (warnings), like this one, putting the population on notice.

Norwegians outsmarted the ban with clever Christmas cards depicting elves wearing hats in every color other than red. Other cards showed elves with no hat at all, a clear reference to what had been banned.

Ski jumping was the Norwegian national sport during World War II. This Christmas card was part of a series of 10 Christmas cards illustrated by Frank Wathne in 1941. They were immediately banned. (Image: ©Frank Wathne / BONO 2023)

Earlier this year, the hats began showing up again, this time on American knitters. It came as no surprise that people who knit the ubiquitous “Pink Pussy Hats” of Trump’s first term in office decided to adopt the Norwegian symbol of protest, with its delightful swipe at the red MAGA hats Trump, according to Jared Kushner, made $80,000 a day off of during the 2016 campaign. On Ravelry, which is sort of like Facebook for knitters, but without the disinformation, it seemed like everyone I knew was knitting a red Norwegian hat. I started digging around and learned that a knitting shop in Minneapolis, Needle & Skein, had revived the Norwegian protest hats with a pattern called the “Melt the ICE Hat.”

I started asking friends about them and got responses like, “Yes, I am making (at least) one.” Another friend advised that even people who didn’t knit or crochet could purchase the pattern, because all of the proceeds were going to immigrant aid agencies for distribution to people impacted by the Trump administration and ICE. She ended her message like this: 🧶 💪🏽🧊

Another knitter told me, “I go to protests and periodically write to my representatives, but this is a way I can communicate my feelings about the regime every time I go out.” I started asking people why they were knitting the hats, and got more responses than I could print.

“The story behind the hats, the Norwegians resisting the Nazis in WWII, resonates, because I think we are facing the same kind of evil today.”

“I’m horrified at the actions of this administration, and also I hope the hats will serve to flag to vulnerable individuals that the wearers are safe people who will help them if they ask.”

“I love that I can wear something that shows my support for an idea without needing words or a specific image. The fact that I’ve created it just makes it that much better and really makes it personal.”

After Liam Ramos was taken by ICE with his blue bunny hat on, a knitter messaged me that her next hat would be blue. Another friend, who isn’t a knitter, told me she’d found someone to knit her a couple of hats so she could join in.

Needle & Skein’s owner, Gilah Mashaal, told NPR that after Renee Good’s death, “What’s been happening in Minneapolis has been so egregious and awful and so destructive to our community.” An employee at the store, Paul Neary, created the pattern. By the end of January, they had raised almost $400,000 to help people in their city, and red yarn was sold out across Minneapolis (I bought a couple of skeins in Alabama to send to a friend there).

In craftivism at its best, knitters who didn’t know each other got together to knit in airports—like this woman I saw in the Portland, Maine, airport. The minute I saw her knitting, I knew exactly what she was making.

The lovely folks at Needle & Skein are encouraging everyone to wear their red hats tomorrow, Thursday, February 26, to commemorate the day the hats were banned in Norway during the Nazi occupation: February 26, 1942. Because of the First Amendment, they can’t ban us from wearing red hats here!

Earlier today, one of the shop owners told me that the plan is “a large show of resistance against the administration and ICE.” They told me, “We are hoping that this show of solidarity will make people feel less alone. And of course, we hope it will lead to donations. Our goal is $1 million!” She shared the picture below from one of their protests.

If you want to join in and you’re a knitter, buy the pattern online and grab some red yarn. I plan on casting on tomorrow. Some knitters are also donating hats they’ve made for sale to non-knitters at this link.

But whether you’re a knitter or not, share the story and the history. On February 26, 1942, red hats were banned by a government that feared dissent, that feared people who were willing to push back against its excesses. There’s an important lesson there. Dictators fear people who are willing to stand up for what’s right. Let’s make sure we’re those people.

We’re in this together,

Joyce