You can still fly the flag on your own property, but the “deeply offensive symbol” as South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley called it, is officially coming down from the State’s capitol grounds.
After nearly all of South Carolina Senators voted to take the flag down last week in a 36 to 3 vote, the state’s House voted to do the same early Thursday morning, in a 220 to 94 vote. The bill was sent to Governor Nikki Haley around 1am to be signed into law.
The flag received renewed scrutiny after a racist white supremacist – seen in pictures burning the American flag and waving the confederate flag – murdered nine black church members as they held a Bible Study in a predominantly black Church in Charleston South Carolina. Among those killed was the pastor of Emanuel AME Church and a State Legislature, Pastor Clementa Pinckney. Gov Haley then promised that she would used Executive order to removed the flag if all other measures failed.
Among those calling for the flag’s removal was Rep. Jenny Horne, who made a passionate plea to her fellow representatives before the vote was held.
