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The March 5 event was organized by the Sons of the Confederate Veterans, and it aimed to commemorate confederate soldiers who lost their lives in the Civil War.
“The Confederate flag to us, the descendants of the Confederate soldiers – we see it as a piece of history, of heritage, of family simply because of our background and our family tree,” the commander of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans, Gary Casteel, told Fox 43 news.
Families and young children attended. Mrs. Dee Duke, a supporter at the ceremony, reported to The College Fix that the event on the historic battlefield began with “a dedication, an opening prayer and a pledge of allegiance to the U.S. flag.” Numerous displays of the confederate flag peppered the scene. Many participants were dressed in Civil War garb.
But nearby picketers voiced opposition to the demonstration in a protest that was described by local news reports as a rowdy affair. It included protesters calling demonstrators racists, “bad people,” and other names.