Look Who Will Pay Legal Fees For 'Hero' Who Removed Confederate Flag At SC Capitol

The Confederate battle flag came under assault again Saturday when a black woman climbed the flagpole, snatched the controversial symbol waving near the South Carolina Capitol, then climbed down and handed it to police waiting to arrest her.

The woman, identified as Bree Newsome, issued a statement to the media around the time of her arrest.

“We removed the flag today because we can’t wait any longer. We can’t continue like this another day,” the statement said, according to numerous reports. “It’s time for a new chapter where we are sincere about dismantling white supremacy and building toward true racial justice and equality.”

Sherri Iacobelli, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety, told USA Today that Newsome, and a companion, James Ian Tyson, 30, both from Charlotte, were charged with defacing monuments on state Capitol grounds.

The movie maker Michael Moore was among those praising Newsome’s action. He offered on Twitter to pay for her legal fees and bail.

The flag was replaced within an hour, officials in South Carolina said.

Calls have intensified this month for the removal of the flag from public spaces, retail stores and internet shopping sites since Dylann Roof, 21, the white man from South Carolina, was charged with killing nine people during a Bible study inside Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal,

Photo: Screenshot from Youtube.