Supporters and opponents of the Confederate flag gathered at the South Carolina State House on Saturday as the state marked 11 years since the flag’s removal from the Capitol grounds.
The event, organized by supporters of the Confederate flag, took place at the Confederate Soldier Monument in front of the State House, where participants waved Confederate flags and called for the flag to be returned to its former location near the monument. Organizers said the flag serves as a tribute to Confederate soldiers and their military service.
Across the grounds, protesters gathered behind barricades to oppose the rally, arguing the Confederate flag is a symbol of slavery and racial oppression. Demonstrators pointed to South Carolina’s Articles of Secession, which cite the preservation of slavery as a primary reason for leaving the Union before the Civil War.
The anniversary comes 11 years after then-Gov. Nikki Haley called for the Confederate battle flag to be removed from the State House grounds following the 2015 mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. The South Carolina General Assembly later approved legislation relocating the flag from the State House grounds to the Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum.
The annual observance continues to highlight the ongoing divide over the flag’s place in South Carolina history, with supporters viewing it as a memorial to Confederate soldiers and opponents regarding it as a symbol closely tied to slavery and the Confederacy.
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Patrick Byrne lives in Tega Cay with his wife and two daughters. After 25 years working for a Big 4 bank, he retired to pursue his passion for writing. Additional articles and content can be found on his blog (reverian1776.blogspot.com) and freethepeople.org.
Patrick can be reach via email at [email protected]
