Murphy bans Mississippi state flag from NJ tradition due to Confederate emblem

Gov. Phil Murphy
Photo credit Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com
By KYW Newsradio 1060
TRENTON, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Gov. Phil Murphy has banned the Mississippi state flag from the annual flag-raising tradition at Liberty State Park.

It will be replaced with an American flag.

The tradition raises all state flags in the park, overlooking the Statue of Liberty from Jersey City, every spring.

Murphy ordered the Mississippi state flag be replaced, as it prominently features the Confederate emblem — a symbol considered racist that harkens back to the days of the Civil War.

“New Jersey’s strength is rooted in our diverse communities,” said Murphy in a statement. “The Confederate symbol displayed on the Mississippi state flag is reprehensible and does not reflect our values of inclusivity and equality. I applaud Senator Cunningham for bringing this issue in her district to my attention.”

Today I ordered the Mississippi state flag be replaced by the American flag at Liberty State Park. The Confederate symbol does not reflect New Jersey’s values of inclusivity and equality.Thank you @sandrabcunningh for your leadership in bringing this forward.

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) April 26, 2019

New Jersey state Sen. Sandra Cunningham, who brought the flag to the governor's attention, added in a statement: “The Confederate flag symbolizes an era of hate, violence, and division. I thank Governor Murphy for his commitment to tolerance and equality and for the decision to remove this hateful symbol from Liberty State Park. Hate has no home in New Jersey.”