Providence, Rhode Island, city officials plan to raise the Palestinian flag over City Hall on Friday, a move that has sparked criticism.
On Wednesday, the Providence City Council announced plans to hold a Palestinian flag-raising ceremony at City Hall. (RELATED: Delta Airlines Apologizes After Outcry Over Palestinian Flag Pin Social Media Post)
“You’re invited to a Palestinian flag raising at City Hall this Friday, May 16! Elected officials and community members will deliver remarks on the steps out front at 12 pm. Join us!” Providence City Council posted to X on Wednesday.
You’re invited to a Palestinian flag raising at City Hall this Friday, May 16! Elected officials and community members will deliver remarks on the steps out front at 12 pm. Join us! pic.twitter.com/SeggPQvS1b
— Providence City Council (@pvdcitycouncil) May 14, 2025
Accounts took the comments to express their disapproval of the move.
“So you’re having a flag raising event, but not with an American flag. Not with a Rhode Island flag. It’s with a Palestinian flag. The same flag that Hamas waves,” one posted. “If only you guys cared about America, Americans, and especially your constituents as much as you care about some non-existent country alleged to be thousands of miles away which a designated terrorist organization is fighting for.”
“As Rhode Island has a larger Jewish population; this is unacceptable in every way. The only flags that should be flown over City Hall are local, state or federal flags,” wrote another.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley addressed the issue with NBC 10 News on Wednesday, telling the host he had just returned from visiting Israel.
“If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have flown this flag,” Smiley claimed during the interview. “It came in from a constituent via the city council and I had no grounds to deny it.”
“The Palestinian flag is not Hamas. The Palestinian flag is not a terrorist organization,” the mayor said, turning to pro-Palestinian protests in the city.
“I’ve never once in one of those protests heard for those protesting to call for the return of the hostages. I’ve never once heard from them to try to heal our community but rather to divide our community … My hope, my prayer, my call for Friday is that we change that tone,” he added, noting that he was in a Tel Aviv parking garage’s basement due to a Houthi missile attack while in Israel.
Smiley said this incident is in part due to Providence lacking a flag policy and called for one to be implemented. The Palestinian flag is already present inside the Providence City Hall chambers, according to the mayor.
This article was originally published at dailycaller.com
