Palestinian flag-raising prompts policy review in Miramichi [video]

The City of Miramichi says it’s reviewing its flag protocol after peace activists flew the Palestinian flag in a local park.

The ‘Chi for Peace raised the flag on Dec. 2 in solidarity with civilians, particularly children, killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. 

The event featured members of area Mi’kmaq communities who spoke out against colonialism and performed ceremonial singing and drumming.

Despite bad weather, more than 150 people assembled at Queen Elizabeth Park, according to the group.

“We come together in opposition to this war machine, and I think they’re about to find out what they’re up against,” said Dr. Zayd Cajee, who emceed the event.

“We’re not calling for violence and we’re not calling for revenge, but our strength is greater,” Cajee said.

While activists called for peace, some residents saw the Palestinian flag as an “indication of support” for Hamas, according to the city. 

The Palestinian flag – with its black, white, and green horizontal stripes and red triangle – has been flown at the United Nations headquarters in New York since 2015, and represents the Palestinian National Authority, not Hamas. 

Hamas, the militant Islamist group that has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, has a separate flag, which features the shahada, or Islamic declaration of faith, against a green background.

The city acknowledged in a statement that the Palestinian flag isn’t “formally affiliated” with Hamas but said that “it is being interpreted by many to indeed be an indication of support for them.”

In an interview, Niger Saravia, a member of The ‘Chi for Peace, rejected that interpretation and renewed calls for a ceasefire. 

“There is a narrative around the world that is pushing people to believe that the Palestinian flag has something to do with Hamas,” he said.

“The Palestinian flag represents a country. It does not represent a political party. It does not represent a military group. It does not represent any religious group. It represents the people of Palestine.”

Gaza has been under bombardment from Israel since Oct. 7, when Hamas fighters attacked Israeli military bases and towns. 

The death toll in Gaza had surpassed 18,000 by Dec. 11, including at least 7,729 children, while Israel’s official death toll stood at 1,147 civilians, according to the latest figures reported by Al Jazeera. 

The UN special rapporteur on occupied Palestine has warned of a “serious risk of genocide” in Gaza. 

Demonstrations calling for a permanent ceasefire have taken place across the province over the past two months.

City to review policy

The City of Miramichi has a “courtesy flag pole” in the park across from city hall, where local organizations can fly the flags of various groups for up to four days, if they receive approval from the city. 

In a statement published on social media, the City of Miramichi said that municipal staff received an application from The ‘Chi for Peace in November. 

Staff approved the application, “as it was presented to be representative of the innocent Palestinian people and victims, and not in any way affiliated with Hamas.” 

Following the Dec. 2 flag-raising, the City of Miramichi said, “we have heard from many citizens who have provided insightful perspectives that while the flag is not formally affiliated with Hamas, it is being interpreted by many to indeed be an indication of support for them.”

Statement on the Palestinian Flag Raising in Miramichi
Two weeks ago Miramichi received a courtesy flag request from the local organization, ‘Chi for Peace to raise the Palestinian flag as part of a vigil event in Queen Elizabeth Park in memory of the innocent children (1/7) pic.twitter.com/SjxdbszLVN

— City of Miramichi (@CMiramichi) December 6, 2023

“We wish to clarify and confirm the City of Miramichi does not in any way endorse this organization [Hamas] or the acts of terrorism they have perpetrated,” it continued. 

“The intention in this case was to show support for Palestinians innocent victims and their loved ones. We share the same support for the innocent Israeli victims, and all innocent victims [of] terror and war.”

The city’s policy prohibits flying flags that “promote hatred, violence, racism or intolerance.” 

Mayor Adam Lordon wasn’t available for an interview. A spokesperson for the city said the flag flew for two days, instead of four, before it was removed due to “an error in the count of the number of days it had been up,” not because of complaints. 

Miramichi city council will review its flag-raising policy in the New Year, the spokesperson said. 

Contested meanings

In 2014, Miramichi introduced its policy following a motion to raise the pride flag during the Sochi Olympics to protest anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Russia. 

The meaning of the Palestinian flag is contested, but many regard it as an important symbol of Palestinian national aspirations. 

Palestine has “observer status” at the UN and its statehood is recognized by most UN member countries; Canada, the U.S. and most of Western Europe are among the holdouts. 

Israel made public displays of the Palestinian flag a criminal offence in the Occupied Territories following the Six-Day War in 1967, when it took control of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, according to Time. 

The ban was lifted in 1993 with the Oslo Peace Accords, when the flag gained recognition as the symbol of the newly-created Palestinian Authority, which exercised limited self-governance powers in the Occupied Territories.

But police ripped Palestinian flags from the hands of mourners during the funeral for Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in Jerusalem last year; the public display of Palestinian flags in occupied East Jerusalem was “forbidden by the Israeli authorities under any circumstances,” The Guardian reported at the time.  

In January this year, Israel’s hardline national security minister ordered police to ban Palestinian flags from public places, in one of the latest battles over the politically-charged symbol, according to the Associated Press.

Images of watermelon slices have become a symbol of Palestinian resistance, as their colours match those of the Palestinian flag.

David Gordon Koch is a journalist with the NB Media Co-op. This reporting has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada, administered by the Canadian Association of Community Television Stations and Users (CACTUS).