Local News

Nazi flag removed, property owner silent

People who live or drive near the intersection Old Falls of Neuse Road and River Hill Drive alerted WRAL News to the offensive display on Wednesday. By Thursday at noon, man, who did not stop to give his name, pulled up in a truck, yanked down the Nazi flag and replaced it with an American flag.
Posted 2021-01-21T04:19:04+00:00 - Updated 2021-01-21T23:09:49+00:00
Man replaces Nazi flag with American flag

A Nazi flag hung on a tree in northern Wake County under a "Biden Harris" campaign sign has been torn down and replaced with an American flag.

People who live or drive near the intersection Old Falls of Neuse Road and River Hill Drive alerted WRAL News to the offensive display on Wednesday. By Thursday at noon, a man, who did not stop to give his name, pulled up in a truck, yanked down the Nazi flag and replaced it with an American flag.

Margaux Kessler, who drove by on Wednesday, said she was chased away when she tried to remove it.

Kessler saw the flag, went home and returned with a step stool and scissors. As she tried cutting the flag down, she says a man who claimed to be the owner kicked her off the property before reinforcing the Nazi flag with more nails.

“He rolled down his window and started yelling at me and this other lady to get the F off his property and he was going to shoot us full of holes,” Kessler said.

Records show the property is owned by a Warren County man, David Scott Young. WRAL News has tried repeatedly to reach him, but he has yet to return calls or email messages.

“I am very happy that it is down. It was a disgrace to the community and to the Jewish community in our area," Kessler said.

The Jewish Community Relations Council said in a statement:

“We recognize the first amendment guarantees the right to freedom of speech, including bigoted, racist and anti-Semitic expressions like these. However, we stand united in condemning this repugnant and highly inappropriate display.”

As the flag drew negative attention, the tenant of the property added his own sign. On cardboard, it said, "This is not my sign. I am a renter."

Wake County deputies did respond, but they said that because the Nazi flag was on private property, they could not order it removed. The display, they said, is covered by freedom of speech, much like the Confederate flag still hanging on the property and the American flags across the street put up by neighbors as a show of unity.

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