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| Confederate flag removed from South Carolina capitol in victory for activists | Confederate flag removed from South Carolina capitol in victory for activists |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Related: South Carolina's Confederate flag comes down as history of hate meets modernity | |
| The Confederate flag was removed from South Carolina’s statehouse grounds on Friday after decades of protest against the symbol came to a head following the killing of nine black people in a church in Charleston. | The Confederate flag was removed from South Carolina’s statehouse grounds on Friday after decades of protest against the symbol came to a head following the killing of nine black people in a church in Charleston. |
| The move came after Governor Nikki Haley signed legislation on Thursday that required the flag to be taken down within 24 hours and moved to a nearby Confederate museum. | The move came after Governor Nikki Haley signed legislation on Thursday that required the flag to be taken down within 24 hours and moved to a nearby Confederate museum. |
| The Rev Norvell Goff, the interim pastor of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church, where the shooting occurred, stood alongside Haley for the short flag removal ceremony. The families of the victims were there too, surrounded by a crowd of clapping and crying people. | The Rev Norvell Goff, the interim pastor of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church, where the shooting occurred, stood alongside Haley for the short flag removal ceremony. The families of the victims were there too, surrounded by a crowd of clapping and crying people. |
| South Carolina highway patrol honor guard marched to the flag, before entering the gate surrounding it to cheers that erupted as they used a lever to wind down the flag. The crowd sang “Na na, hey hey, goodbye” as the honor guard folded the flag, before marching to the capitol steps. | South Carolina highway patrol honor guard marched to the flag, before entering the gate surrounding it to cheers that erupted as they used a lever to wind down the flag. The crowd sang “Na na, hey hey, goodbye” as the honor guard folded the flag, before marching to the capitol steps. |
| Activists have been pushing for the flag to be removed for decades, after it was placed on the capitol dome in the 1960s. While some defended it as part of the south’s heritage, others believe it is a racist symbol. | Activists have been pushing for the flag to be removed for decades, after it was placed on the capitol dome in the 1960s. While some defended it as part of the south’s heritage, others believe it is a racist symbol. |
| South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union and join the Confederacy during the American civil war, which began because of disagreements about slavery and states’ rights. | South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union and join the Confederacy during the American civil war, which began because of disagreements about slavery and states’ rights. |
| Lawmakers, activists and citizens put renewed pressure on the government to take down the flag after nine black people were fatally shot at a historic church in Charleston. The alleged gunman, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, had posed in photos with the flag and the FBI is investigating a racist manifesto that he may have written. | Lawmakers, activists and citizens put renewed pressure on the government to take down the flag after nine black people were fatally shot at a historic church in Charleston. The alleged gunman, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, had posed in photos with the flag and the FBI is investigating a racist manifesto that he may have written. |
| Haley remembered the victims at the signing ceremony on Thursday, where she used nine pens to sign the bill and said that each one would go to the families of each of the victims. | Haley remembered the victims at the signing ceremony on Thursday, where she used nine pens to sign the bill and said that each one would go to the families of each of the victims. |
| “The Confederate flag is coming off the grounds of the South Carolina statehouse,” Haley said at the signing ceremony. “It’s hard for us to look at what is happening today and not think back to 22 days ago. It seems like so long ago because the grieving has been so hard.” | “The Confederate flag is coming off the grounds of the South Carolina statehouse,” Haley said at the signing ceremony. “It’s hard for us to look at what is happening today and not think back to 22 days ago. It seems like so long ago because the grieving has been so hard.” |
| President Barack Obama, who spoke at the eulogy of one of the victims, hailed the removal of the flag as “a signal of goodwill and healing, and a meaningful step towards a better future”. South Carolina representative James Clyburn also praised the removal of the flag, saying “an era of division is over”. | President Barack Obama, who spoke at the eulogy of one of the victims, hailed the removal of the flag as “a signal of goodwill and healing, and a meaningful step towards a better future”. South Carolina representative James Clyburn also praised the removal of the flag, saying “an era of division is over”. |
| “I look forward to the citizens of South Carolina being one under one flag, the American flag,” he said. | “I look forward to the citizens of South Carolina being one under one flag, the American flag,” he said. |
| Three days after the shooting, hundreds rallied in Columbia to protest the flag. And last month, activist Bree Newsome was arrested after she climbed the pole and took the flag down. | Three days after the shooting, hundreds rallied in Columbia to protest the flag. And last month, activist Bree Newsome was arrested after she climbed the pole and took the flag down. |
| For the flag to be officially removed, however, a bill had to be introduced and get a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the legislature. It moved quickly through the state senate, but was subject to 13 hours of contentious debate in the house, where it passed just after 1am on Thursday. | For the flag to be officially removed, however, a bill had to be introduced and get a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the legislature. It moved quickly through the state senate, but was subject to 13 hours of contentious debate in the house, where it passed just after 1am on Thursday. |
| The South Carolina state law enforcement division is investigating death threats made against lawmakers on both sides of the debate. | The South Carolina state law enforcement division is investigating death threats made against lawmakers on both sides of the debate. |
| The hundreds who gathered to watch and cheer were joined by dozens people carrying Confederate flags, but the ceremony was a peaceful affair of competing demonstrations. | The hundreds who gathered to watch and cheer were joined by dozens people carrying Confederate flags, but the ceremony was a peaceful affair of competing demonstrations. |
| .@postandcourier Crystal Hampton of Columbia arrived at 3:30am to have a front row seat to history. pic.twitter.com/crPqniRpTU | .@postandcourier Crystal Hampton of Columbia arrived at 3:30am to have a front row seat to history. pic.twitter.com/crPqniRpTU |
| Members of the crowd debating with an African American man carrying a Confederate flag pic.twitter.com/1UJZ0RNbM6 | Members of the crowd debating with an African American man carrying a Confederate flag pic.twitter.com/1UJZ0RNbM6 |
| The flag was first flown on the state house dome in the 1960s and moved to a civil war memorial next to the capitol building in 2000. It will become a part of the collection of the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum. | The flag was first flown on the state house dome in the 1960s and moved to a civil war memorial next to the capitol building in 2000. It will become a part of the collection of the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum. |
| “The museum is aware that this is a grave responsibility and will formulate plans to appropriately exhibit it,” the museum said in a statement. “The museum is humbled to play a small role in further uniting the citizens of South Carolina.” | “The museum is aware that this is a grave responsibility and will formulate plans to appropriately exhibit it,” the museum said in a statement. “The museum is humbled to play a small role in further uniting the citizens of South Carolina.” |
| As this debate played out in the South Carolina legislature, representatives in Washington DC discussed whether Confederate flags should be removed from the capitol building there. | As this debate played out in the South Carolina legislature, representatives in Washington DC discussed whether Confederate flags should be removed from the capitol building there. |
| And the house Republicans decided to hold off the vote on a bill that would allow Confederate flags to be displayed at National Park service-run cemeteries. | And the house Republicans decided to hold off the vote on a bill that would allow Confederate flags to be displayed at National Park service-run cemeteries. |