Loud protesters divide Confederate Flag Day attendees

(Gettysburg) — Dressed in all black and shouting obscenities through a megaphone, a loud sub-group of Confederate flag protesters divided attendees at Saturday’s Confederate Flag Day at Gettysburg National Military Park.

Group members declined comment on Saturday, but several people who attended the event described them as anarchists.

Sons of Confederate Veterans, a group that celebrates men who fought for the South in the Civil War, organized Confederate Flag Day to celebrate the flag as a symbol of Southern pride. Scott Hancock, a professor at Gettysburg College, organized a counter-rally at the same time and place – the park’s Eternal Peace Light Memorial – to express views that the flag is a symbol of racism.

The protesters described as anarchists sided with the latter group. While their presence was smaller, they made themselves heard.

Denise Weldon-Siviy, a Gettysburg resident, lives down the street from the memorial and wanted to see how the day would turn out, she said. She was going quietly in support of Hancock’s group but was turned off by the actions of the fringe group, she said.

“I thought their approach was immature, counterproductive and did not represent either side in the community,” she said. “The other groups did not bring megaphones because it was not meant to be a shouting match.”

Weldon-Siviy understands that both groups have a right for freedom of speech, but there are better ways to exercise it, she said. Just because there is a disagreement doesn’t mean there should be a lack of civility, she said.

“People brought small children. There’s no excuse for that kind of behavior,” she said. “The biggest issue is screaming the profanities. This is a family-friendly town.”

The megaphone-carrying protesters did not show their faces, and several members declined to comment about their actions Saturday. However, despite what people may perceive as foul language, they had the right to be there and say what they want, said Katie Lawhon, park spokeswoman.

Lawhon is part of the group that approves park permits, she said. In this case, Hancock was approved for a first amendment permit, which generally does not get turned down, she said.

When a first amendment permit is requested, the park just has to make sure necessary law enforcement and accommodations are available, like portable fences and rope to set physical barriers, she said.

“We work with the requester to be sure we understand what’s proposed. We’re then obligated to provide some level of support. We also have an obligation to allow the freedom of speech,” she said. “I will say, the National Park Services’ goals had to do with ensuring the safety of the public, park resources and staff. There were no incidents or arrests, and our core objectives were met in administration.”

Hancock, who was not immediately available to comment this week, had no problem with the group’s actions Saturday, according to a column he wrote for the Huffington Post.

“And alongside us were a group of young anarchists who show up faithfully whenever the KKK or other white supremacists come to town – they have a style I question, though I admire their passionate commitment to racial justice,” he wrote.

Hancock believes the Confederate flag isn’t a matter of perspective, he said. Anyone who studies the history of the flag can trace it back to white supremacy, he says in the column.

“It is not simply a matter of interpretation. Not all opinions are equal. Some opinions are just plain wrong, misleading, distorted and damaging,” he wrote. “Truth matters. And the truth is that the Sons of Confederate Veterans and all other supporters of the Confederate flag(s) have built a house of cards that pile one lie on another.”

Gary Casteel, who organized the event for Sons of Confederate Veterans, was not as fond of the group’s actions or the way they were controlled, he said. On his side, Casteel tried to tell everyone to have a professional, gentlemanly approach, he said. He does not believe Hancock did enough to keep things peaceful.

“We were not there to riot,” he said. “This is what bothers me about what professor Hancock did. He allowed it to happen simply because he held the permit.”

“When you have anarchists waving flags and using outright loud and disgusting language with children there, it shows no intelligence nor does it show any respect,” he added.

This article is part of a content-sharing partnership between The Evening Sun and WITF. For more photos of this event, visit The Evening Sun.