BC Mayor Shredded Confederate Flag Bandanas At A Dollar Store & She's Not Sorry
A local politician in B.C. isn't about to apologize for her recent actions. On Saturday, July 18, Summerland Mayor Toni Boot went to a local dollar store and destroyed all the Confederate bandanas for sale. Despite allegedly receiving threats and demands for an apology, Boot has claimed she's not sorry for what she did.
According to CityNews, the whole incident was incited by an anti-racism march held in the town. At the rally, the Mayor spotted a Confederate flag on someone's truck.
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The rally was held in support of the local Lekhi family after their home was defaced with racist symbols in early July.
Boot reportedly confronted the man in the truck and he told her that he purchased the flag in Summerland.
She then decided to go into the dollar store and confront the owner. The owner denied that they were selling flags initially but upon being pressed, admitted that they were selling Confederate bandanas.
The owner of the dollar store, Allan Carter, reportedly told Boot that that "there was demand" for the flag, according to Global News.
Boot offered to pay for the bandanas so they were removed off the shelf but Carter gave the entire set to her for free.
"I sat out on the steps and made the very public statement of cutting and ripping the flags into pieces as did the two friends that were with me, and then we threw them away," the Mayor told CityNews.
According to Global, Carter said that when he asked Boot not to destroy the bandanas in front of his store, she replied, "I am the mayor, I can do whatever I want."
Boot told the news outlet that she did no such thing.
Carter has demanded a formal public apology from the mayor, claiming that she bullied the dollar store's staff and embarrassed the store.
Boot told Global News that she will not say sorry for cutting up the flags.
She also told the outlet, "I don’t want this in my town.” The Mayor said that the Confederate flag is a symbol of hate for her.
According to Castanet, the mayor has been receiving hate mail and threats over the bandana incident, many of which were written from residents in Summerland.
Premier John Horgan voiced his support on Facebook.
"Racism is a virus. I admire Mayor Boot's leadership in helping stomp it out and build a more inclusive BC," he wrote.