Mass. mayor blasts 'disrespectful' flag removal at college
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno joins veterans in protest against college's post-election move
A Massachusetts college will stop flying all flags on campus after an American flag was burned following Republican nominee Donald Trump’s election victory.
Hampshire College President Johnathan Lash said in a statement to WWLP-TV on Saturday that the college won’t fly any flags for the time being.
“It is a disrespect. That shouldn’t have happened in the first place,” he said.
A college official said members of the campus community initially lowered the flag to half-staff after the Nov. 8 election. That offended other members of the community.
The flag was then found burned on Veterans Day. It was replaced and flown again at half-staff until Friday's decision to remove all flags.
According to the station, debates over flag flying have occurred on campus before. For more than a decade flying commemorative 9/11 flags have been a hot-button issue until the school board voted to fly those flags annually.
Lash said the Amherst campus will talk with students and staff about properly utilizing flags in the future.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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