Providence, Rhode Island, is set to raise the Palestinian flag at City Hall tomorrow (Friday) as part of an initiative to honor the city's diverse communities. The ceremony, scheduled for noon, will include remarks from elected officials and community members.
City officials emphasized that the American flag will remain in place during the event. A spokesperson for the Providence City Council stated, "Providence City Hall displays many different flags throughout the year to mark different occasions and honor the many ethnic and cultural backgrounds and traditions that make our city strong." In recent months, the city has also flown the Dominican, Irish, Armenian, and Israeli flags.
The decision to raise the Palestinian flag was made by the City Council and not by Mayor Brett Smiley's office. Josh Estrella, a spokesman for Mayor Smiley, clarified, "In Providence, the executive branch and City Council are two separate branches of government. The Providence City Council, not Mayor Smiley’s office, will be raising the Palestinian flag on Friday."
The flag-raising has sparked discussions within the community, with some expressing support for the celebration of diversity, while others have raised concerns given the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization. Officials claimed that the event aligns with Providence's tradition of recognizing various cultural heritages through symbolic gestures at City Hall.
Council President Rachel Miller is expected to present the flag during a city council meeting on Thursday, followed by the official flag-raising ceremony on Friday.