Activist Bree Newsome took matters into her hands to remove this hated symbol.
via IBT
A woman scaled the flagpole in front of the South Carolina Statehouse Saturday morning and temporarily removed the Confederate flag that flew there. The woman was arrested by State Capitol police along with a man who had entered the grounds with her, the Associated Press reported. The flag was replaced and raised a short time later.
The woman, who was not identified by authorities, was named on social media as Brittany “Bree” Newsome, an activist from North Carolina. Her actions inspired the hashtag #KeepItDown, which was one of the top trending topics on Twitter in the U.S. Saturday. Later in the day, the hashtag #FreeBree was also trending in the U.S.
Rev. Jesse Jackson was one of many who praised Newsome for her actions.
We thank God that @BreeNewsome had the courage to take the flag down! #KeepItDown #FreeBree pic.twitter.com/AKXOu4kB0c
— Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) June 27, 2015
Update: An Indiegogo fundraiser to help defray legal costs is underway now under the hashtag #FreeBree. Supporters donated more than $16,000 toward the $20,000 goal in less than 2 hours. You can donate here.
