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.
WATCH: Somali flag stolen from flagpole in Niagara Square, BPD also investigating threat against City Hall
On Friday, Ryan spoke to the media about the Somali flag being stolen.
"We hang flags on Niagara Square all throughout the year, all different nationalities and I never heard Nick Langworthy or Michael Kracker complain when we hung a flag of a European white nation," Ryan said. "But when we hang the flag of an African nation with brown people in it, suddenly there's big complaints, hundreds and hundreds of phone calls from across America, internet contacts, Facebook, and in there, were several threats."
Ryan said there were bomb threats and threats against himself, council members, city property and City Hall.
"We have to take all those threats credibly. So what does that mean?" Ryan said. "That means bomb dogs going through City Hall, increased protection for people who have been threatened. But it's all a very sad way to celebrate July 4th."
Republican Congressman Nick Langworthy released the following statements in response to Ryan's comments.
"Sean Ryan can call me whatever he wants. I’m not backing down. I believe a city as great as Buffalo should proudly celebrate America’s 250th birthday. Instead, the Mayor canceled that celebration while presiding over a ceremony honoring a foreign flag. It was an enormous disappointment to the thousands upon thousands of Buffalo residents who were looking forward to celebrating this historic milestone with their families and neighbors. Those were his priorities. Mine are clear: I’ll always stand for America, celebrate our flag, honor our history, and never apologize for believing that America should come first."
The flag raising has come under fire from conservative voices, including 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 on Wednesday, 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."
Erie County Republican Committee Chairman Michael Kracker said the decision is unacceptable.
"They say they have logistical challenges. I think everybody at home knows that if the mayor wanted to make the fireworks happen, he would have made it happen," Kracker said.
The city regularly hosts flag-raising ceremonies for various organizations and communities throughout the year.
Kracker said he understands the importance of recognizing other communities, noting that America is a country built by immigrants, but said commemorating another country's independence is not what this week is about.
"This week is about honoring the United States of America," Kracker said. "Buffalo is a gem. There is so much history in this city as it relates to the story that is America, and we've done nothing to celebrate that out of the City of Buffalo and Mayor Sean Ryan's City Hall."
When asked whether the vandalism was justified, Kracker said it was not.
"No, no, I don't think it is, and I don't think it ever should be," Kracker said. "I don't think it was appropriate to have that event when you haven't properly recognized the United States of America."
Shane Keyes, president of Our City Action Buffalo, said the two issues should not be compared to one another.
"It's really apples to oranges with a fireworks display and a flag being raised, just in terms of logistics and the technical needs of those two different things," Keyes said.
Keyes added that Our City Action Buffalo condemns the removal of the Somali flag, calling it a form of hate speech and saying it does not represent the City of Good Neighbors.
"They are our family members, they are our colleagues, they are students, and they contribute to and beautify and enrich our community in ways that are truly immeasurable," Keyes said.
Police are investigating vandalism to the flagpole, which is city property. It’s not clear what the dollar amount of the damage is. That could determine whether it’s a felony or a misdemeanor. Police say they do have a lead on who they think did it.
BPD Commissioner Erika Shields has confirmed to 7 News that police are also investigating an "online threat to blow up City Hall" in connection with the flag-raising.
According to Shields, police identified the online threat on Wednesday night and have identified a suspect who is believed to live outside of the city. Shields said they are now coordinating with other law enforcement agencies on the investigation into the threat.
Shields said harassing messages have been sent to Buffalo Common Council members via voicemail and text related to the flag-raising and are also under investigation.
7 News reached out to Congressman Langworthy's office for an interview, but was told he was unable to speak due to conflicting schedules.
