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A group of Black Lives Matter protesters in Washington DC marked July 4 by trampling on the American flag before setting it on fire, arguing that the US state symbol represents “slavery, genocide and war.”
Footage showing protesters mocking the US flag began making the rounds online on Saturday evening.
One of the videos, filmed at a square outside the White House that was officially named ‘Black Lives Matter Plaza’ in the wake of the protests, shows a young black woman dancing on the American flag, as another female protester with a megaphone in her hand can be heard shouting: “F**k the Fourth of July. F**k the American flag. That’s what we are saying.”
#BLM protesters dance and step on American flag on Blacks Lives Matter Plaza in DC pic.twitter.com/zIwNrFSLoy
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) July 4, 2020
Another video shows the chanting woman being confronted by a man, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the name of Jesus.
“What does the American flag represent?” the woman asks, prompting him to respond: “America. Every citizen that lives in America.” The protester with a megaphone then argues that the banner is a symbol of slavery, saying “it was built on the back of slaves.”
"F*** the 4th of July, F*** the American flag" #BLM protester tells Trump supporter pic.twitter.com/HW3BcDXlll
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) July 4, 2020
Other videos show protesters stomping on the flag and preparing to set it alight.
Protesters outside the White House are getting ready to burn the American flag: pic.twitter.com/oB7fBbbI9P
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) July 5, 2020
Protesters rejoice when the banner finally catches fire, and then begin chanting as guided by one of the group’s leaders: “We knew what this flag represents: One, two, three, four, slavery, genocide and war, five, six, seven, eight, America was never great.”
Protesters outside the White House have now set a big American flag on fire while chanting: America was never great! pic.twitter.com/448IPYUR0y
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) July 5, 2020
The torching stunt had been touted as a “flag burning challenge” and was reportedly organized by the Revolutionary Communist Party, or RevCom.
Refuse Fascism is out here in front of the White House. They plan to participate in the “#FlagBurningChallenge” at 7:30. I plan to livestream when that happens.
Last year, the Proud Boys showed up and got into a fight with them. pic.twitter.com/7Uw52vuXyh
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) July 4, 2020
While the flag went up in flames to cheers from the public, some protesters were apparently not on board with the idea. As the same group attempted to burn a number of hand-sized American flags, they were confronted by fellow activists, arguing that such an action would play right into the hands of the Trump administration.
Things got tense at Black Lives Matter plaza when RevCom, short for Revolutionary Communist Party, attempted to burn a few small American flags only for other protesters to run in and confront them.
“This is what they want, don’t give it to them,” someone says. pic.twitter.com/FIby1j7mc7
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) July 5, 2020
