The “Southern Heritage” rally was expected to bring 1,300 people to Capitol Hill in support of the confederate flag, however only around 50 people were present at the demonstration.
The rally was in order to prompt the American government to preserve confederate symbols. The Confederate flag has received back-lash following the murder of nine black people in a shooting in Charleston, South Carolina by a known admirer of Confederate ideas, causing many state institutions to take it down from public spaces.
This has prompted a number of pro-flag rallies to take place in the southern states, in opposition to removal of the flag and the Black Lives Matter movement.
"1,000 will attend the Southern Heritage Rally," They said. Guess the rest of the crew is stuck on metro or in 1920. pic.twitter.com/dbG3YE9UAP
— Pixie Carlisle (@PixieCarlisle) September 5, 2015
However on the other-side of the hill anti-flag protesters held their own demonstration outnumbering the “Southern Heritage” rally, burning the confederate flag and holding signs such as “bigot’s go home!” They explained that whether it is intentional or not, the confederate flag is seen as a symbol of racial hatred and should not be used to express cultural identity.
Protesters later chased the pro-flag demonstrators from Capitol Hill to Union Station.
Protesters take over Union Station after chasing "Southern Heritage" rally protesters from the Capitol to the buses pic.twitter.com/tn19Zq5ONH
— Bridget Bowman (@bridgetbhc) September 5, 2015
