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| Confederate flag: South Carolina approves removal of contentious symbol | Confederate flag: South Carolina approves removal of contentious symbol |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| The South Carolina House of Representatives has approved taking down the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds. | The South Carolina House of Representatives has approved taking down the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds. |
| It represents a stunning reversal in a state that was the first to leave the Union in 1860 and raised the flag again at its Statehouse more than 50 years ago to protest against the civil rights movement. | It represents a stunning reversal in a state that was the first to leave the Union in 1860 and raised the flag again at its Statehouse more than 50 years ago to protest against the civil rights movement. |
| Related: South Carolina senate backs removal of Confederate flag from capitol | Related: South Carolina senate backs removal of Confederate flag from capitol |
| The move early Thursday came after more than 13 hours of at times contentious debate. It also came just weeks after the fatal shootings of nine black church members, including a state senator, at a Bible study in Charleston. The alleged gunman, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, is believed to have supported white supremacy and posed in many photos next to the flag. | The move early Thursday came after more than 13 hours of at times contentious debate. It also came just weeks after the fatal shootings of nine black church members, including a state senator, at a Bible study in Charleston. The alleged gunman, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, is believed to have supported white supremacy and posed in many photos next to the flag. |
| The House approved the Senate bill 93-27, and still has one more vote that appeared to be perfunctory since they had met two-thirds approval. The bill would then go to the Republican governor, Nikki Haley, who supports it. | The House approved the Senate bill 93-27, and still has one more vote that appeared to be perfunctory since they had met two-thirds approval. The bill would then go to the Republican governor, Nikki Haley, who supports it. |
| It could come down within days. | It could come down within days. |
| The campaign to remove the flag from South Carolina’s capitol grounds had been dragging on into the night, with the House of Representatives refusing to adjourn after 12 hours of debate. | The campaign to remove the flag from South Carolina’s capitol grounds had been dragging on into the night, with the House of Representatives refusing to adjourn after 12 hours of debate. |
| The chamber voted 111-3 to keep going as the clock moved toward midnight during a marathon session on Wednesday to decide the future of a banner that symbolises slavery and racism for many, but Southern heritage for others. | The chamber voted 111-3 to keep going as the clock moved toward midnight during a marathon session on Wednesday to decide the future of a banner that symbolises slavery and racism for many, but Southern heritage for others. |
| Tempers began to fray as Republicans launched dozens of amendments seeking to soften the impact of a proposed law to move the flag to a museum. | Tempers began to fray as Republicans launched dozens of amendments seeking to soften the impact of a proposed law to move the flag to a museum. |
| At each turn, they were beaten back by a slightly larger, bipartisan group of legislators who believe there must be no delay. | At each turn, they were beaten back by a slightly larger, bipartisan group of legislators who believe there must be no delay. |
| South Carolina legislators were stuck debating issues such as whether flowers should be planted where the flagpole bearing a Confederate flag stands at the state house in Columbia. | South Carolina legislators were stuck debating issues such as whether flowers should be planted where the flagpole bearing a Confederate flag stands at the state house in Columbia. |
| The closest vote in the GOP-controlled body came on an amendment to place the state flag beside the monument to Confederate soldiers at the front of the state house. | The closest vote in the GOP-controlled body came on an amendment to place the state flag beside the monument to Confederate soldiers at the front of the state house. |
| Changing the Senate bill could have meant weeks or even months of delay, perhaps blunting momentum that has grown since the church massacre. | Changing the Senate bill could have meant weeks or even months of delay, perhaps blunting momentum that has grown since the church massacre. |
| Republican Jenny Horne reminded her colleagues she was a descendent of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and scolded fellow members of her party for stalling the debate. | Republican Jenny Horne reminded her colleagues she was a descendent of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and scolded fellow members of her party for stalling the debate. |
| She cried as she remembered the funeral of her colleague, state senator Clementa Pinckney, the pastor of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church, who was gunned down as his wife and daughter locked themselves in an office. | |
| “For the widow of Senator Pinckney and his two young daughters, that would be adding insult to injury and I will not be a part of it,” she shouted. | “For the widow of Senator Pinckney and his two young daughters, that would be adding insult to injury and I will not be a part of it,” she shouted. |
| She said later during a break she didn’t intend to speak but got frustrated with fellow Republicans. | She said later during a break she didn’t intend to speak but got frustrated with fellow Republicans. |
| Opponents of removing the flag talked about grandparents who passed down family treasures and lamented that the flag had been “hijacked” or “abducted” by racists. | Opponents of removing the flag talked about grandparents who passed down family treasures and lamented that the flag had been “hijacked” or “abducted” by racists. |
| Mike Pitts, who remembered playing with a Confederate ancestor’s cavalry sword while growing up, said for him the flag was a reminder of how dirt-poor Southern farmers fought Yankees not because they hated blacks or supported slavery, but because their land was being invaded. | Mike Pitts, who remembered playing with a Confederate ancestor’s cavalry sword while growing up, said for him the flag was a reminder of how dirt-poor Southern farmers fought Yankees not because they hated blacks or supported slavery, but because their land was being invaded. |
| Those soldiers should be respected just as soldiers who fought in the Middle East or Afghanistan, he said, recalling his own military service. Pitts then turned to a lawmaker he called a dear friend, recalling how his black colleague nearly died in Vietnam. | Those soldiers should be respected just as soldiers who fought in the Middle East or Afghanistan, he said, recalling his own military service. Pitts then turned to a lawmaker he called a dear friend, recalling how his black colleague nearly died in Vietnam. |
| “I’m willing to move that flag at some point if it causes a twinge in the hearts of my friends,” Pitts said. “But I’ll ask for something in return.” | “I’m willing to move that flag at some point if it causes a twinge in the hearts of my friends,” Pitts said. “But I’ll ask for something in return.” |
| Associated Press contributed to this report |