UPDATE: Since Bree Newsome climbed the flag pole in front of the Capitol and removed the confederate flag her actions have inspired hashtags such as #FreeBree and #TakeItDown. Her actions have also inspired those we may least expect to come to her rescue. After Bree was arrested, Liberal documentary filmmaker Michael Moore posted on twitter an offer to pay bail and legal fees for the young activist.
He posted,
Friends of @BreeNewsome – I will pay her bail money or any legal fees she has. Please let her know this. #Charleston #TakeDownTheFlag
He wasn’t the only one however ready to come her aide. An Indiegogo campaign has already raised more than $17,000 for Newsome and fellow activists protesting violence against black people and the taking down of the confederate flag. More details about her arrest after the jump.
ORGINAL
The confederate flag was removed from the South Carolina Statehouse grounds for a short amount of time early Saturday morning when a woman climbed to the top of the flagpole and removed it. She was arrested shorty afterwards. Read more details after the jump.
Bree Newsome, a 30-year old woman from North Carolina, climbed to the top of the flagpole to remove the banner, she was halfway up the 30-foot pole when police arrived on scene and demanded that she get down. Newsome ignored police demands and continued up the steel pole.
The 30 year old activist was accompanied by another man and the pair climbed over a wrought-iron fence to complete their mission. The pair were arrested and the flag was raised again a short time after as the flag is protected by state law.
According to Sherri Iacobelli, spokes person for the state Department of Public Safety Newsome and her partner James Ian Tyson are facing a misdemeanor charge of defacing monuments on state Capitol grounds. These charges carry fines up to $5000 and a prison sentence of up to three years.
Newsome released an email blast to the media with her statement saying,
“We removed the flag today because we can’t wait any longer. We can’t continue like this another day,” it said. “It’s time for a new chapter where we are sincere about dismantling white supremacy and building toward true racial justice and equality.”
Newsome is part of a small group of activists who are actively working to have the flag removed from the State Capitol grounds. Tamika Lewis a spokesperson for the group said the flag had to come down now because the group, “was done because we were tired of waiting for the judicial system to make the decision they have been prolonging for a very long time.”
Protests for the flag to be removed have been renewed since nine black people were shot and killed during a bible study at a Charleston, SC church last week. Police and officials have stated this attack was racially charged.
South Carolina officials have taken the first steps to removing the flag earlier this week by agreeing to discuss the matter during the legislative session. This decision was made after Republican Gov. Nikki Haley called for the controversial symbol to be taken down.
Newsome’s climb up the flagpole to remove the flag has inspired hashtags #FreeBree and #KeepItDown.
