Confederate flag at Union Cemetery being investigated as a possible hate-motivated crime
Flag spotted flying last night had been removed when police arrived
Calgary Police say the raising of a confederate flag at Union Cemetery yesterday is being investigated as a possible hate-motivated crime.
The flag was spotted Tuesday afternoon and when police arrived in the early evening, it had already been taken down and was found in a nearby garbage can.
Police say symbols can have a powerful impact on a community.
The CPS says while the possession and display of a confederate flag is not in itself a crime, removing the original flag from the flagpole so that an offensive one can be raised, could result in charges.
The flag was spotted Tuesday evening after an account posted it on Twitter.
Confederate flag hanging at Reading Rock Garden. Right now. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yyc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#yyc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abpoli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ableg?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ableg</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JasonKenneysAlberta?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JasonKenneysAlberta</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/cityofcalgary?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cityofcalgary</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/gccarra?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gccarra</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nenshi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nenshi</a> <a href="https://t.co/37nFmCnyrO">pic.twitter.com/37nFmCnyrO</a>
—@julesjon27The tweet got a string of reactions from accounts calling it "hateful" and saying that it needed to be taken down immediately.
Ward 8 Coun. Evan Woolley told CBC News that news of the flag was outrageous.
"Who put that there? Why would they put that there?" he said.
"I'm glad we caught that and I hope we investigate and catch the jerks who put it there."
With files from Natalie Valleau