A display of America’s 50 state flags has been removed from a Fairbanks bridge due to their worn condition and an ongoing debate about Confederate symbols.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that nonprofit community development organization Festival Fairbanks removed the flags Monday.
Festival Fairbanks Executive Director Julie Jones says the flags were taken down because of the wear and tear they had sustained. She also says part of the decision was influenced by the inclusion of the Mississippi flag – which includes a Confederate battle flag in its upper left corner.
Jones says they did not want to only remove Mississippi’s flag from the display. Because of the tattered state of all 50, the organization chose to remove them all.
