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Confederate flag still flying at Craven, “It’s a free speech issue.”

After 54 years of flying high the Confederate flag has been removed from the South Carolina Statehouse, but the same cannot be said for the Craven Country Jamboree. Kael Donnelly/Global News

REGINA – After 54 years of flying high the Confederate flag has been removed from the South Carolina Statehouse, but the same cannot be said for the Craven Country Jamboree.

Despite being asked to keep the flags at home a number of festival-goers have been spotted flying their flags at the country music jamboree.

“It’s just a flag for me. I like the stars and the stars and stripes on it and that’s all it is to me,” said one camper, whose flag was visible through the back window of their trailer.

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Organizers requested the flag not be flown in response to the recent church shooting in South Carolina, where the shooter used the flag as a symbol of his racist beliefs.

Craven officials are hopeful that campers will respect their request, but no further action will be taken against those who continue to display the flag.

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“At the end of the day it’s a free speech issue and we’re not going to force people to take them down,” said Kim Blevins, Marketing Director for the Craven Country Jamboree.

“We would hope that people would be responsible and sensitive enough to not fly them, but at the end of the day we’re not going to force people or evict them for flying it.”

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