Brittany ‘Bree’ Newsome, Social Activist, Climbs S.C. State Capital Flagpole To Remove Confederate Flag, Jesse Jackson Tweets Support
Brittany “Bree” Newsome has caused quite the stir at the South Carolina Capital building, as well as on Twitter, after she daringly climbed the flagpole to remove the controversial confederate flag on Saturday morning.
According to the International Business Times, Brittany ‘Bree’ Newsome was arrested after she shimmied up the flagpole and temporarily took down the flag that has ignited protests across the nation after the horrible shooting in South Carolina last week, as previously reported by the Inquisitr.
This is the woman who climbed up and took down the flag in SC. pic.twitter.com/0w9Ck8Y8DC
— Wil Gafney (@WilGafney) June 27, 2015
Bree, a self-proclaimed “staunch advocate for human rights and social justice,” was arrested by state capitol police along with another man who had entered the grounds with her, the Associated Press reported. The flag was replaced and returned in its place a short time later.
Bree Newsome has not been officially named by local authorities, but she is trending number one on Twitter with the hashtags #FreeBree and #keepitdown.
Black love to the sister @BreeNewsome who courageously climbed & removed the Confederate flag from the state house pic.twitter.com/3KOnDOL9p6
— zellie (@zellieimani) June 27, 2015
According to website BreeNewsome.com, which is linked to a Twitter account belonging to a user with the name Bree Newsome and mentioned by numerous users in conjunction with the #keepitdown hashtag, Newsome is an activist and graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
The website contains an animated short entitled “The Three Princes of Idea,” for which Bree Newsome apparently won a $40,000 scholarship from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
It appears that Newsome took matters into her own hands after thousands of phone calls were made to the state capital demanding the removal of the flag made no headway with the powers that be.
Black women holding it down & leading as usual. Shouts out to @BreeNewsome. #FreeBree pic.twitter.com/C6SpZhKWQL
— Suburban White Boi (@NewJusticeDept) June 27, 2015
The demand comes following the brutal deaths of nine African-Americans were killed in what police have labeled a hate crime at a Charleston, South Carolina, church last week.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a group of the state’s top lawmakers and even the Rev. Jesse Jackson have spoken out, calling for the removal of the flag.
The flag can only be removed, however, if the South Carolina legislature votes by a two-thirds majority in both the state House and Senate to take it down.
Small, short-lived victories are still victories. #BreeNewsome #FreeBree pic.twitter.com/pM0lmv01ZD
— veGGie BurGer (@baldbae) June 27, 2015
Jackson tweeted his support for Newsome’s bold move on Saturday morning, calling Bree’s actions “courageous.”
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
What to you think of Brittany “Bree” Newsome’s bold move?
[Image via BreeNewsome.com]
