The "X" on shields in Charlottesville:

[July]

The "rolling pin" symbol on the Charlottesville white supremacists' shield appears to be the fasces, a symbol that was used in ancient Rome and later by Mussolini. From Wikipedia:

"The original symbol of fascism, in Italy under Benito Mussolini, was the fasces. This is an ancient Imperial Roman symbol of power carried by lictors in front of magistrates; a bundle of sticks featuring an axe, indicating the power over life and death."

My apologies if this has already been mentioned by other posters.

[Shrike47]

1. Thanks, I was just wondering about them.

[customerserviceguy]

2. You mean like we used to have on the US dime until 1946?

[July]

3. Yes, I think it has had many uses.

Check the Wikipedia entry on the fasces symbol, there is much more than the brief information I quote above.

I believe it is best known for its use by Imperial Rome and by Mussolini, but there have been other uses of it.

[customerserviceguy]

4. And swastika-like symbols

used to be used by some Native American tribes.

That's what happens when a symbol is co-opted by a group that uses them for evil.