The Rubberbandits lead calls urging Cork fans not to fly Confederate flag in Croke Park
There have been renewed calls on Cork hurling fans to abstain from flying the Confederate flag at Croke Park today, writes Ciara Phelan.
Members of the public have taken to social media asking match goers not to wave the flag due to the violence unfolding in America.
Plans to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in the city of Charlottesville, Virginia has resulted in a violent rally which has left one woman dead and injuring several others.
The flag which has previously been spotted among Cork supporters is often sold ahead of games.
I've just been accused of silencing and shaming the poor people who want to fly confederate flags at cork matches.
— The Blindboy Podcast (@bbboatclub) August 13, 2017
I edited the photo to protect the cork fans identity pic.twitter.com/xXnshdDfdN
— The Blindboy Podcast (@bbboatclub) August 13, 2017
Any Cork fan with a Confederate flag today should be banned from the stadium.
— Michael McCarthy (@McCarthyMick) August 13, 2017
At the Munster football final in Killarney in 2015, the flag was spotted in the crowd and co-founder of Sport Against Racism, Ken McCue, called on the Cork county board to issue a statement regarding fans flying the flag at games.
"We’re calling on the Cork County Board to issue a statement asking the fans to desist because it’s a flag of hatred.
"It sends out the wrong signals. We would call on stewards to be vigilant to make sure it doesn’t appear in grounds.
"Myself and Peadar King, a Kerryman living in Cork, in the past mounted a campaign against the flag and we wrote to the GAA and they wrote back saying it’s a tradition in Cork because they see it as a rebel and they’re the Rebel County."
The flag has become a symbol for segregation and racism in recent years with the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacists.
Cork fans, on today of all days, keep the Confederate battle flags at home. A symbol that's demonstrably adopted by racists and Nazis.
— Eric Fitzgerald. 🇵🇸 🏳️⚧️ (@mrericfitz) August 13, 2017
Leader of the Ku Klux Klan, David Duke has also been recorded in the US stating the white supremacist march in Charlottesville is on behalf of President Donald Trump.
Here is KKK leader David Duke admitting they are doing the white supremacist march in #Charlottesville on behalf of Trump. pic.twitter.com/73TRrfixcx
— Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸 (@tariqnasheed) August 12, 2017
To read the full story on the violence and Trump's repsonse, click here.
