Lawmakers in Mississippi have begun drafting legislation to remove the Confederate battle emblem embossed on their state flag, according to Mississippi Today.
Mississippi, the last state to showcase the Civil-War era symbol on its flag, began drafting the legislation behind closed doors after a crowd of about 3,000 protesters flooded the capital, where protesters chanted “Change the flag!,” according to a report from Mississippi Today.
Protests in Mississippi and around the country have sprung up following the death of George Floyd who has become a figure for perceived racial inequality since he died in Minneapolis police custody after an officer knelt on his neck for more than 8 minutes.
If legislators are successful is changing the flag, the so-called Stennis Flag, already on some Mississippi state license plates, could take it’s place. A Twitter page exists to advocate solely for this change, and it displays the replacement flag sought by some in the Southern state. (RELATED: Boston Sued For Booting Christian Flag While Allowing Islamic Symbols)
KEEP PUSHING!https://t.co/txCCOMtPoD pic.twitter.com/Fp0r3nXYXo
— Mississippi: Stennis Flag (@StennisFlag) June 9, 2020
Lawmakers tried but failed to remove the current state flag in 2001 after a majority of people in the state voted in a referendum to keep the state symbol, according to the Mississippi Clarion Ledger.
Demonstrators across the nation have been targeting historic monuments in major cities, particularly Confederate monuments. Rioters tore down a confederate statue over the weekend in Virginia, and Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam pledged to remove a controversial statue of Robert E. Lee, Fox News reported.
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