Activist Pulls Down Confederate Flag in Front of South Carolina Statehouse

[Hissyspit]

Source: The Guardian

Activist pulls down Confederate flag in front of South Carolina statehouse

Police arrest unidentified woman after she climbed up the 30ft steel flagpole and removed the flag before returning to the ground

Alan Yuhas in New York
@alanyuhas
Saturday 27 June 2015 08.17 EDT Last modified on Saturday 27 June 2015 09.55 EDT

An activist in South Carolina climbed a flagpole in Columbia early on Saturday morning and removed the Confederate flag flying in front of the capitol building. The woman’s action came a day after President Barack Obama gave the eulogy for a black pastor who was murdered by an apparent white supremacist along with eight other people in a Charleston church last week.

A woman identified by a protest organizer as Bree Newsome, a 30-year-old youth organizer from Charlotte, North Carolina, climbed the flagpole before 6am and took down the controversial emblem of the antebellum, slaveholding south, with the assistance of another activist. Newsome was halfway up the 30ft pole when police demanded that she climb back down, but she continued upward and removed the flag.

Activist Mervyn Marcano told the Guardian that when Newsome returned to the ground she and James Ian Dyson were arrested by capitol police and taken to a detention center.

Police did not immediately respond to inquires about whether Newsome and Dyson had been charged, but CNN reported that the pair faced charges of defacing a monument.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/27/woman-removes-confederate-flag-south-carolina-statehouse

[HassleCat]

1. Defacing? Really?

Seems more like "improving a monument."

[wordpix]

27. my first thought, too. Beautify America is more like it

[SunSeeker]

88. Exactly. It was the Confederate Battle Flag that was defacing the monument.

She just removed it. She did not destroy the flag nor even take it. She simply moved it off the flag pole and gave it to the security. I can't imagine prosecutors getting a conviction for "defacing" on these facts. Trespass maybe, not defacing.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. I salute her!

She did what needed to be done. Activism is what it takes.

Defacing a monument. Ha!

[sarge43]

7. Yup. Good on her.

"Defacing a monument" aka displaying grace and courage that "leaders" wouldn't.

[Joe Chi Minh]

18. They have the indefinite article in the wrong place. The charge should read:'A defacing

monument', bringing the Carolina statehouse into disrepute.

[mountain grammy]

3. K&R for two fine Americans

I will donate to their defense fund if it comes to that.

[jwirr]

9. Very good point - that is a part of the 60s activism we seldom think about. Defacing a monument

would be burning the damned thing like is happening to black churches right now.

[LiberalElite]

61. I read in another thread that

Michael Moore has offered to pay all costs.

[heaven05]

4. walking the walk

Last edited Sat Jun 27, 2015, 11:07 AM - Edit history (2)

no lip service here...brave BREE NEWSOME!!!!!!! And James Ian Dyson

[Lint Head]

5. Civil disobedience is deep in the fabric of America!

Wah hooooooo!

[KeepItReal]

6. Here's the video

Bree Newsome:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

19. Thank you for posting this wonderful video! It was great. She is so courageous. n/t

[KeepItReal]

24. You're welcome. Courageous indeed!

[AwakeAtLast]

40. That is a wonderful image!

Powerful!

[Jefferson23]

104. Amazing individual..kudos. K&R

[wordpix]

28. she did SC a huge favor. Now the pols will have to vote to put it back up!

It's a harder vote for a racist to not appear racist to put it back

[nolabear]

30. That is just awe inspiring. Courage is on incredible display this week.

[snort]

44. Glad to see the pigs cuff her.

She looks dangerous, that one.

I'm thinking a super soaker loaded with corn liquor a trace down the pole and a match would be a fun way to deal with these flags.

[Glassunion]

80. Her arrest (which she knew would happen) is the perfect punctuation.

One person (two actually) standing up to oppression. Fighting the system the only way they can.

I so hope this goes to trial. A very public one.

[Glassunion]

79. I'm thinking the video is a fake.

No way someone could climb that pole and carry the weight of a pair of giantic brass balls. I don't think the concrete pad holding the pole could support the weight.

I always enjoy adding people to my list of heros. Two more on the list.

[BumRushDaShow]

83. Thank you for posting

I saw malaise's GD thread and read the articles and posted still pics... as well as watched some video clips edited by the talking heads...

But this video - of just her and the audio of what she said at the top, and as she descended, was arrested, and was escorted away, literally broke me up.

I am going to honestly say that up here in Philly, I really don't see any Confederate symbols around - whether as a flag or bumper sticker or whatever, but I can see why my mother always said that she would "fly over the south" and refuse to set foot there (although we did take her to Atlanta about 15 years ago for a wedding, and got to see Ebeneezer Baptist church, the Civil Rights Museum, etc.). Here in Philly, we are "above the Mason Dixon Line" and were part of the salvation of so many who fled that evil and the symbol that more recently became the badge of honor for the evil-do-ers.

[bravenak]

84. I'm crying.

[Live and Learn]

100. That is the way it is done.

Brought tears to my eyes.

[longship]

8. I just watched the video.

She is one cool cat. The way she scaled that pole is amazing. And the way she politely refused to come down to the cops showed complete class.

I think Bree is my newest hero in a week with so damned many of them.



R&K

[jwirr]

10. I also noticed that she held the confederate flag in a more proper way than the police did using

the standards of treating a flag. No defacing or dragging it on the ground, etc.

[longship]

15. Yup! Pure class. nt

[restorefreedom]

29. yeah wasn't that something

she was so careful and then the cop walks off practically dragging it on the ground like he was holding an old dishtowel.

she was freakin awesome!!

[snort]

45. Dish towel?

I would put it at toilet paper level. Would have been nice if they'd just burned it then and there.

[restorefreedom]

51. the way he was dragging it

reminded me a bit of a dishtowel. i think i did read of some folks burning one in front of lee's statue....

[jwirr]

52. I was comparing how she held it compare do the policeman who bundled it up in a ball in his arms.

She is acting in the way that the people at the funeral were talking about. The black people are the peace makers in this situation. You keep the high ground when you have it in a fight.

[snort]

65. You keep the high ground when you have it in a fight.

Agreed. This should be a Civil matter.

[avebury]

49. I don't see how the charges could be

upheld in a court of law.

Attempted theft maybe, defacing a "monument" is way over reaching.

It is possible that the prosecutor may see the light of reason and drop the case. It will certainly not help South Carolina's reputation.

I respect their courage for standing up for what is right!

[jwirr]

54. So do I. I suspect the charges will be dropped.

[enlightenment]

55. I got the impression that

the police were just doing their job - not that they were particularly inclined to agree with what they were doing. Their actions were casual, their treatment of the the woman and the man 'polite' (hard to say that putting someone in cuffs is polite, but they weren't cruel), and their treatment of the flag appropriate.

The Confederate Battle flag doesn't deserve standard flag etiquette - it wouldn't have bothered me if they had wiped their boots with it.

[Live and Learn]

101. It was classy. I would have just dropped it or burned it.

Got to hand it to her.

[gcomeau]

12. She didn't steal it. She just took it down.

Don't be a jackass.

[TBF]

13. Cat got your tongue?

Why don't you just say what you'd really like to say. Go ahead.

[longship]

17. What about this issue do you not understand?

Sheesh!

[marym625]

23. Just curious

Do you only come here to be negative? Or have you posted positivity here and I just missed it?

She did not steal it so you can relax about that. They have it and can put it back up. But I am sure some other righteous person will come back and take it down again

Have a great day!

[wordpix]

33. not only did she not steal it, but she treated it with respect

I didn't see it touch the ground.

A helluva lot more respect than that flag deserves, too.

[marym625]

36. +1

[RufusTFirefly]

46. Yes! The whole process was done with such poise and class. Heroic and inspiring. n/t

[Volaris]

25. LOL not theives.

People who are smart enough not to stay in the 'designated protest zone'

[EvolveOrConvolve]

39. It only took 11 posts

for the closet racists to show themselves. Despicable...

[notadmblnd]

41. Did you sign up special just for this?

[awoke_in_2003]

63. I'll take the hide

You're a fucking idiot

[frylock]

68. +1

[awoke_in_2003]

96. Wow, I'm surprised...

I didn't get the hide, the other one did

[heaven05]

71. +10000

[byronius]

103. Nothing but applause for you. I'm a little shocked by the close vote, frankly.

4-3? Who the fuck thought that comment was not ultra-boneheaded acid-blooded racist bullshit? What? WHAT?!?

Good lord this place weirds me out sometimes.

But not you. Good on you. Tell it.

[NuclearDem]

64. ...

[heaven05]

70. How are they thieves?

[treestar]

72. This is clearly a political protest

She was not doing it because she wanted that flag. Obvious.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Let freedom ring

This is what democracy looks like in an age of tyranny.

[restorefreedom]

31. + 100,000 n/t

[Novara]

16. I love that a black woman had the guts to do what no one else could do.

Fuck you, Nikki Haley. This woman has a hell of a lot more guts than you do.

[WhoWoodaKnew]

20. Weren't they gonna take it down anyway?

[sarge43]

22. Maybe. But Ms Newsome saved their butts

The SC ledge can blame her now. I wouldn't be surprised if they were hoping for this, but she fooled them. She wasn't violent enough. As pointed out, she treated that rag with more respect than it deserves.

[heaven05]

73. does that make a difference

or don't you understand that it will(it is back on the flagpole) or would have stayed up on some legal technicality like being a part of "southern pride" in the valor of their soldiers serving a treasonous and hateful system that kept people in bondage and tried to destroy the then united states in an effort to perpetuate that slavery..

[candelista]

21. Individualistic adventurism.

Achieves nothing.

[Hekate]

34. Did lunch counter sit-ins achieve anything?

[candelista]

38. Were they "individualistic"?

No.

[LiberalElite]

57. Ok, so how many people does it take to remove

a despised racist symbol from a flagpole?

[SwankyXomb]

62. One less Dixie Swastika

is one less Dixie Swastika.

[sarge43]

66. Tell that to Rosa Parks

All change, every revolution begins with one person saying "Enough!".

[heaven05]

69. achieved a lot

showed courage and defiance in the face of state sanctioned racism and race inspired hate. What's been done in your neck of the woods to defeat racist hate, symbolically or otherwise? geez the nerve of some people when judging true active courage, not just armchair quarter backing.

[BumRushDaShow]

85. "Individualistic adventurism. Achieves nothing."

The virulent racism on DU is breathtaking.

[SunSeeker]

87. BOOM!

[BumRushDaShow]

89. More "individualistic adventurism" that "achieved nothing"

[Hekate]

93. It is breathtaking, isn't it?

Makes me wonder why some people are here

[Hissyspit]

98. Ugh.

[Faux pas]

26. Kickin'

[totodeinhere]

32. And of course they had to put the flag back up again. This could have been a golden

opportunity to put the issue behind them and once it was taken down by this brave woman just leave it down. But oh no, those idiots could not do the most prudent and logical thing so they hoisted that racist symbol back up again. Disgusting.

[wordpix]

35. damn, I thought they'd keep it down & have to vote in SC legislature to put it back

so much for that kind of logical thinking

[LiberalElite]

59. Having it up there is the default position -

they deliberately made it a lot harder to get rid of it.

[Novara]

37. no guts

It would have been amazing if the groundskeepers - or whoever is in charge of that rag - refuse to put it back up. En masse. If all of the people who are responsible for the thing refuse to put it back up, would they really fire all of them?

[candelista]

105. Right, because individualistic adventurism doesn't work.

It achieves nothing.

[GOLGO 13]

42. I bet the racist put it back up at night

Lets hope others consider such actions in a safe manner. Hope they tape it too.

[cosmicone]

43. Next time put a little concentrated sulfuric acid at the base of the pole

The next hurricane will finish the job.

[mnhtnbb]

47. She's a very talented and creative woman. She's also a film maker.

Check out her web page here

http://www.breenewsome.com/

[NRaleighLiberal]

48. the comments on the WRAL news site (local, Raleigh) are as you would expect.

http://www.wral.com/woman-removes-confederate-flag-in-front-of-sc-statehouse/14741784/

This area can be so embarrassing...

[alp227]

78. Agree. Actually, if so many people want to think like that, they deserve to be symbolized by Dixie.

This is why I disagree with the "take down the flag" activists. Great symbolism to take down the flag, but it won't change many minds in reality.

[Charlie Brown]

50. they certainly did hurry to get it back up there

'"The flag was replaced with a new flag within about an hour and no further damage was done," the statement from officials said.'

all the trouble & technical issues we were told about lowering the flag like the others last week did not seem to be an issue after this happening. I think some of those guards were afraid it might not be put back if they didn't act fast.

[SunSeeker]

91. "no further damage was done"? There was no damage to begin with.

She didn't hurt their precious flag of hate--she gave it to cops when she came down off the pole.

[AtheistCrusader]

99. I'm sure it was damaged.

You can see the cops dragging it around like a painters drop cloth, and wadding it up like trash.

None of that is on Bree though.

[The Jungle 1]

53. Nice job

I kept thinking that someone should do exactly that. My plan was show up with a torch and down it comes.
I am glad she waited so the pot could come to a full boil.
Rough week to be on the right.

[starroute]

56. Michael Moore has promised to cover her bail and legal fees

https://twitter.com/MMFlint/status/614814840893255680

Friends of @BreeNewsome - I will pay her bail money or any legal fees she has. Please let her know this. #Charleston #TakeDownTheFlag

[JustAnotherGen]

58. I will remember Bree Wilson's name

For the rest of my life.

[Demit]

74. This name would be better: Bree Newsome

[JustAnotherGen]

75. iPad auto correct

[Iwillnevergiveup]

60. Link to gofund.me

to raise bail for Bree and James. So far zero has been donated.


http://dm2.gofund.me/y06wks

[JustinL]

76. that's because people are donating through indiegogo instead

$37,000+ raised so far

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bail-for-bree-newsome/#/story

[LovingA2andMI]

67. The Bravery of Bree Newsome: Activist Takes Down Confederate Flag at South Carolina Capitol

*"Activist Bree Newsome climbed a flagpole in front of the Columbia, South Carolina capitol building early on Saturday, June 27, 2015 and removed the Confederate flag flying in front of the building."*

Read More: http://www.reachoutjobsearch.com/2015/06/video-bravery-of-bree-newsome-activist.html#axzz3eHZ6oasN
Connect with Independent Underground News & Talk on Facebook | www.facebook.com/rojsradiolive
Follow IUNT on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/iunewstalk

[bluestateguy]

77. I hope she dares them to charge her

Jury nullification is a fine thing.

Her lawyer will have to work hard to keep white good old boys off of her jury.

[stage left]

81. Good for her.

They should just leave it down. But they probably won't.

[VA_Jill]

82. More guts

than Nimrata Haley showed. The governor could have ordered the flag taken down, even though the law says the legislature has to pass legislation for that. She doesn't even have the backbone to make that *symbolic* gesture...which, of course, does not surprise me in the least. She is little more than a cardboard cutout of a governor anyway.

[madville]

86. Glad it's just a minor misdemeanor

The law I looked up says a fine of no more than $100 and/or a sentence of no more than 30 days.

If anything she'll probably just get a small fine at the most, well worth it.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

90. This day will be remembered in history

[cstanleytech]

94. Yes............by a few.

A day that would probably be remembered by more than a few is when the people who live in South Carolina (and not people who live in North Carolina like Bree according to the article.) vote on if they want the flag to remain where is as part of the states history or have it removed.

Edit: Though to be honest I dont care if they leave or if they take it down and shred it because much like the american flag its really just a piece of cloth in the end.

[Novara]

92. UPDATE - Bree Newsome and James Tyson have been released

[BumRushDaShow]

95. Excellent!

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/27/south-carolina-confederate-flag-remove-activist-ferguson-action/29383973/

Jessie Jackson tweeted -

Rev Jesse Jackson Sr ?@RevJJackson

We thank God that @BreeNewsome had the courage to take the flag down! #KeepItDown #FreeBree

https://twitter.com/RevJJackson/status/614789669260148736

And another tweet on his feed is classic!

EarlNash ?@EarlNash 6h6 hours ago

@RevJJackson "with BREEDOM & Justice for All..."

[Starry Messenger]

97. The video is so great.

I love all the voices saying "Ma'am. Ma'am? Ma'am!" as they realize what she's up there to do. Badass!

[byronius]

102. So impressive. Such gravitas. She's just so good.

Really moving event.