Mapp Orders Removal of Confederate Flag From Territory’s Armories (Update)

Update: Following the publishing of this article, Government House issued another press release asking media outlets to disregard the first press release. The Consortium contacted Kimberly Jones, Governor Mapp’s communications director for clarification, and she said there were some errors in regards to the flags and also communication issues with General Renaldo Rivera. 

Consider the article retracted, however The Consortium won’t delete its publishing.

Earlier…

ST. CROIX — Governor Kenneth Mapp has ordered General Renaldo Rivera, Adjutant General of Virgin Islands National Guard to take down from both armories on St. Croix and on St. Thomas the flags of the states of South Carolina and Mississippi and turn them over to the Governor’s office for return to their respective states, a press release Government House issued this afternoon has made known.

South Carolina’s governor Nikki R. Haley recently signed a measure that would expire the flag from its State House, where it flew for more than 50 years soon after lawmakers passed the bill. Haley’s signature brought to a close tension-filled debates over the flag’s reign, after nationwide calls for its removal rattled the state following the massacre at the Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston.

“While the Confederate Flag has its place in United States History, the negative affect that it has on people of color, particularly African-Americans and its symbolism of the are two things that many do not question,” Mapp said. “The elected officials of the state of South Carolina have made their position clear on the confederate flag and have renegaded it to a museum where it belongs.”

The governor added: “As a territory and a jurisdiction predominately made up of African Americans, the symbolism of the confederate flag has no place being flown on the property of the Virgin Islands. We are very hopeful that the residents of Mississippi will come to a similar conclusion and vote to remove the confederate flag accordingly.” Stated the Governor.”