ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- Since 1952, it's been a parade to celebrate the veterans of all wars, but the appearance of Confederate flags at a recent Alpharetta parade has stirred controversy once again.
The Old Soldiers Day Parade was held on Saturday in Alpharetta, as it has been for decades - the difference this year being that the city council had agreed to prohibit the display of the Confederate flag as part of the parade.
Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard said the city addressed the Sons of Confederate Veterans that they could participate but not with the flag.
"The organization agreed to the terms and were allowed to participate in the parade," he said. "Unfortunately, some members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans then chose to stand along the parade route with the flag on display in protest."
William Lathem, the spokesperson for the Sons of the Confederate Veterans, said the Roswell chapter followed Alpharetta's wishes.
"If the city had not made a big fuss about this or say hey guys why don't you just limit it to one battle flag you probably wouldn't have heard about this," he said. "When they said we want the battle flag banned period then word got out."
Drinkard said it's unclear if the organization as a whole coordinated the display.
The city sent an official letter to the organization on July 20 explaining why they would not allow the flag, but also made clear that the organization could still have a presence in it.
"The City recognizes that most of the Civil War Era soldiers who lived in Alpharetta fought on the side of the Confederacy and we believe that it is reasonable that those who want to celebrate the service of those individuals participate in the parade," the letter read.
But the letter went on to say that the Confederate battle flag was also divisive.
"We also recognize, however, that the Confederate Battle Flag has become a divisive symbol that a large portion of our citizens see as symbolizing oppression and slavery rather than the service of the men and women who fought for what they considered, for a variety of reasons, to be their nation," the letter stated.
Members of the city council have also defended the city's reasoning to keep the flag out of the parade and condemned the actions of protesters.
"I am disappointed that the actions of a few took away from the event where families and children celebrate our veterans who fought for the liberty and freedom our nation enjoys today," Alpharetta City Council Member Jason Binder.
It turns out however that, despite the controversy the flag now represents to many, it has strong ties to the parade itself. According to a section of the city's own website, Old Soldiers Day was actually founded back in 1924 to honor soldiers who fought in the Civil War, but it was discontinued after a few years.
The parade was re-dedicated in the early 1950s to honor veterans who fought in all wars - not excluding the Civil War, but not expressly acknowledging it either.
Drinkard said that regardless of the city's stance on having the flag in a parade it co-sponsors, locals had the right to fly it on the route.
The display or use of that symbol by individuals or organizations outside of the event (even if on the periphery) is ... protected under the First Amendment," Drinkard said. "This is true even if an individual carries that flag down a street that we have closed in advance of a parade to vehicular traffic but allow other pedestrian use or if they are handing out flags along the parade route."
He said that the city has a responsibility to protect that right "regardless of if we agree with what is being represented."
11Alive asked the City of Alpharetta if this would affect future parades. Below is the statement:
It has not been determined whether or not the Sons of Confederate Veterans organized the protest or if it was something that was done without their encouragement or involvement. The answer to that will certainly influence our decisions.
The city is investigating to find out if they did.
