BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Somali flag was stolen from the City of Buffalo flagpole in Niagara Square, just hours after it was raised to honor Somalian Independence Day.
A statement from Mayor Sean Ryan says vandals broke the pole's access panel, cut a cable and removed the flag during the overnight hours of July 1. A flag-raising ceremony had taken place earlier in the day.
The group Heal International has raised the Somali flag at Niagara Square for at least the past four years, the administration said. A pole flying the American flag stands parallel to the secondary flag pole.
The flag raising has come under fire from conservative voices, including Republican Congressman Nick Langworthy, whose district does not include the city of Buffalo.
"Buffalo’s leaders claimed they 'couldn’t find a site' to celebrate America’s 250th birthday with fireworks. Yet they somehow had no trouble finding the time and space to raise a Somali flag. That wasn’t a logistical challenge. It was a choice," Langworthy said Wednesday in a Facebook post above pictures of the flag raising.
Earlier in the day, the Ryan administration released a statement about its decision not to host a fireworks celebration on Saturday.
“The administration had been in discussions with local business leaders to plan a Fourth of July fireworks event for the City of Buffalo," a city spokesperson said. "After exploring potential locations, an appropriate site could not be identified that would provide a safe and widely accessible viewing experience for residents. As a result, the City will not be hosting a downtown fireworks display this year."
Buffalo police are investigating the vandalism and theft of the flag.
