Confederate Flag Brought Into Capitol Building, As Pro-Trump Mob Evokes Racist Symbol

As a pro-Trump mob on Wednesday stormed and occupied the Capitol for hours, at least one Confederate flag was spotted in the building and carried by an insurrectionist.

A man was seen holding a Confederate battle flag on the second floor of the Capitol near the Senate entrance. There were also several Confederate flags seen outside the Capitol, as Trump supporters engaged in a standoff with Capitol Police.

The battle flag was used by the Southern states that seceded from the Union during the American Civil War, which took place from 1861 to 1865. The flag is considered a racist symbol.

The image of the flag in the Capitol building and the storming of the Capitol evoked a history of battles on U.S. soil. In 1814, the building was burned in a British attack during the War of 1812.

Many on social media touched on the unprecedented mayhem and the image of the Confederate flag.

There were many other flags on display, including Trump 2020 and Trump 2024 flags. There were also flags that read, "Don't Tread on Me" and, ironically, "Blue Lives Matter" flags, despite the mob antagonizing police.

There have long been issues over state flags with the Confederate battle symbol and many pro-Trump supporters have supported keeping the Confederate flag on federal property.

In 2015, Bree Newsome Bass, a Black woman, climbed a pole in South Carolina to remove a Confederate flag.