Flag proposals in St. Pete delayed

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(The Center Square) – Adoption of two additional city flags honoring gays and Blacks were delayed Thursday by the St. Petersburg City Council.

The proposals are in response to second-term Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ordering the removal of street murals with similar themes.

The flag proposal is now scheduled to come before the council at its Oct. 23 meeting.

The vote to delay came after some council members on Thursday expressed concern that the proposal had not been through the normal committee review process.

The sponsor of the proposal, Councilwoman Gina Driscoll, said she wanted to get it approved as quickly as possible to reduce the chances that it would be scuttled by opposing groups.

“Since this became public, it has been at risk,” she told her fellow council members. “Something could happen at any time.”

The state of Florida in August ordered the removal of street murals.

“We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes,” the governor said on social media.

Speaking to council, Driscoll described herself as “a straight white girl.”

She said the flag proposal was a way to “express myself as an ally” but that the flags would also reflect on the city as a whole.

“It reflects who we are,” she said.

Councilman Richie Floyd praised Driscoll for proposing the new flags.

“It’s a creative idea that continues to push forward representation for LGMQT and African American communities,” he said. “We are in a dark place in our history right now, specifically when marginalized communities are attacked constantly.”

But other council members worried that the state could preempt any move to adopt the new flags. Cities are created by the state and can be abolished by the state, a city attorney told council. Cities do not have First Amendment rights, he said.

Legislation has been proposed in the last three legislative sessions that would restrict the flying of municipal flags, the attorney told council.

Another council member cautioned that approving the new flags would set a precedent that other other less popular and more controversial groups such as Neo Nazis might follow and asked to be included on a city flag.