An Ontario Town Wants To Ban The Confederate Flag After A Resident Hung One In Their Yard

One town is standing together after a Confederate flag was spotted on its streets. Recently, a member of the community put one on display in front of their house. Since then, the Confederate flag in Collingwood has led to a petition calling to ban the symbol across the town. 

According to a petition that was posted to Change.org, the town has recently been dealing with multiple signs of racism, including swastikas and the Confederate flag being displayed in parts of the neighbourhood. 

Due to this, Abigail Hitchens is calling for a bylaw that would prohibit that flag from being displayed in the town.

As of Monday morning, the petition has garnered nearly 30,000 signatures.

According to the Toronto Star, the petition comes after one neighbour had been spotted flying the flag in his yard. 

Hitchens, who is a resident of Collingwood, told the Toronto Star that her son had asked her not to walk by the house once he learned that the flag represented "people who wanted to keep slaves," as Hitchens explained it to her son. 

In the petition, Hitchens writes that the Confederate flag represents those who fought in the American Civil War for their fundamental "right to maintain slaves in their nation."

However, Dennis Morris, who was the owner of the flag states that he didn't fly it with bad intentions. 

“I never put it up there to hurt anybody or make anybody feel discriminated against or threatened. I have no racism in my body,” Dennis Morris told Simcoe.com.

Morris has reportedly since taken down his flag, which has been up on display "for the better part of three years."

He said that he felt that "this thing is the right thing to do right now."

The petition even inspired Collingwood Councillor Yvonne Hamlin to put forth a notice of motion about the issue.

The goal is to see if the town can do anything to prohibit displays of known hate symbols on public and private property.

The motion that Hamlin put forward is being considered at the council meeting on June 15, Simcoe.com reported. 

*Cover photo used for illustrative purposes only.