South Mississippians protest to let the people vote on retired state flag

HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - Nearly two weeks after Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill to retire the state flag, the debate about the flag rages on. Protestors took to the streets on Saturday in Harrison County saying they are being denied the chance to make a choice.

Protest organizer Ryan Woodcock believes everyone should have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote as they did in 2001.

“If Mississippi wants to change the flag, that’s fine, but it needs to be the people that vote on it,” Woodcock said.

Robert Hall believes removing the flag is simply erasing history.

“They denied Mississippians that are all registered voters the right to vote. They denied us. They violated the U.S. Constitution Amendment 26,” Hall said.

Many protesters were concerned that if the government can take the flag away, what else will they do.

“At one time that flag through different avenues represented oppression and slavery,” Woodcock said.

He said he believes the flag no longer holds that meaning. He and others are in favor of bringing the flag back but to let the people decide.

“I really don’t care which way Mississippi votes if they want to remove it, hi that’s fine, at least the people voted,” Hall said.

A petition is running right now at ‘Let Mississippi Vote'. According to the website, the ballot initiative will begin when the site reaches 5,000 volunteers.

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