Alabama removed the Confederate flag from outside its capitol Wednesday morning. Unlike the Confederate flag outside South Carolina’s statehouse that made national headlines this week, Alabama quietly removed the flag upon Gov. Robert Bentley’s demand.
Two Capitol workers emerged from the building and quickly removed the flag just after 8 a.m. Bentley exited the building shortly after on his way to an event. Asked if he had called for the
flag’s removal and he admitted, "yes, I did," reported Alabama.com.
The Republican governor was asked if his order to remove the flag was because of the recent shooting and Confederate flag controversy in Charleston.
"Yes, partially this is about that," he said, Alamaba.com reported. "This is the right thing to do. We are facing some major issues in this state regarding the budget and other matters that we need to deal with. This had the potential to become a major distraction as we go forward. I have taxes to raise, we have work to do. And it was my decision that the flag needed to come down."
The governor issued his order late Tuesday after making sure there were no laws in place restricting him from doing so.
Just an hour and a half after the Confederate flag’s removal, more workers emerged from the capitol building and retired the three remaining Civil War-era flags from the front of the building. The First National Confederate Flag, known as the “Stars and Bars,” the Second National Confederate Flag, commonly called the “Stainless Banner,” and the Third National Confederate Flag were all removed from the Confederate monument that lies just outside the capitol building.
On Wednesday afternoon, about a dozen protestors and supporters marched up to the Confederate monument that was first built by Jefferson Davis, the Confederacy’s president.
“If you don't change people's hearts, changing a flag won't do anything toward racism," protester Mike Williams, who is the state adjutant for the Alabama Sons of Confederate Veterans, told Alabama.com. Williams was sporting a Confederate flag T-shirt and carrying the flag with him.