An American flag flew upside down at a St. Cloud, Minnesota park during a celebration attended by 500 people on July 3, just one day before the nation’s 250th anniversary, sparking outrage from community members and military families who question whether the incident was truly accidental as organizers claim.
Police Respond After Multiple Complaints
The St. Cloud Police Department received a call at 5:29 p.m. on July 3 reporting the upside-down flag at Lake George Park Pavilion during an Independence Day event. An officer corrected the flag without objection from attendees. Event organizers told city staff the inverted display was unintentional, though the flag remained upside down long enough for videos to circulate widely on social media, prompting skepticism from residents.
City Councilman Scott Brodeen learned about the incident through a Facebook message that evening. By the time he arrived at the event, police had already corrected the flag. Brodeen expressed disgust that politicians giving speeches and organizations with booths, including the AFL-CIO and Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, failed to notice or address the improper display during the celebration.
Military Family Confronts Event Attendees
Kathy Neumeister, whose husband served in the military for 36 years, rushed to the park after seeing videos online. She approached multiple attendees who claimed they had not noticed the flag’s position. When Neumeister contacted the mayor’s office, a spokesperson suggested a city staffer might have made a mistake. She rejected this explanation, questioning how any city employee would not know proper flag protocol.
Brodeen raised particular concern about the timing, noting politicians were campaigning at the event on the weekend of America’s historic 250th birthday milestone. He emphasized the flag represents fundamental American principles, making the silence from those present especially troubling regardless of whether the incident was accidental or intentional.
City Issues Statement After Weeklong Delay
Nearly a week after the incident, St. Cloud Mayor Jake Anderson acknowledged community concerns in a statement. Anderson confirmed the event organizer apologized and maintained the display was unintentional. The mayor noted the city has worked with this organizer for over 11 years without previous incidents and takes proper flag display seriously. Despite these assurances, community members remain unconvinced that hundreds of attendees, including local political figures, could have failed to notice the inverted flag throughout the celebration.
There is no way this was accidental. There is only one way to attach the flag. To attach it upside down, it would have to be altered.
One MORE reason why…
G D RIGHT it was intentional! The moron who did it had to BLIND otherwise.
(Sadly, It’s what we’ve now come to expect). Dingbats & simpletons…What a country!
(Nevertheless…this, too, shall pass).
IT DAMN WELL BETTER!
Ramona I disagree ,you can attach a flag upside down. I did it once by mistake and noticed it when I stepped back to admire it, I quickly corrected my mistake.
Come on Ray. They hung this GIANT flag upside down and then claimed that they didn’t notice it for that long ? It was INTENTIONAL.
These Un-American people and the people who Support and Make Excuses for Them Should Be Removed From the Country!
This was in MINNESOTA! Is anyone really surprised by this? Walz probably ordered it be done. A state full of Somalians and democrats who HATE America. Not surprised!
Only a trouble maker would run our country’s flag up the pole upside down unless it was an emergency of some kind as was intended! Find the culprit and reprimand, or hear the real story. It didn’t place itself up there.
If this was a Somali Celebration, it is my opinion that the Flag position was NOT accidental, it was intentional!!! PS: I wonder how many of the Somalis attending are actual U. S. citizens!!!
An upside down flag signifies that the country is in danger. I am 79 years old and the country is in more danger right now that it has ever been in my lifetime! The senators is worried and so am I , we both love this country!
This is very true!
ICE SHOULD HAVE RAIDED THE EVENT AND HUNG THEM UPSIDE DOWN!
IM WITH MIKE
I served in the U.S. Air Force in the early 1960’s. The only way that flag could have been attached to the flag pole upside down, is that someone or a group of people did this intentionally. My personal opinion of the Somali’s, is that every one of them need to have their citizenships removed and sent back to Somalia immediately without hesitation! All illegals need to be rounded up and sent back to the countries of their origin immediately as well!
The Democrats are largely left-wing, meaning anti-USA, and so are an increasing number of far-right-wong Republicans. Any American who is anti-USA deserves to be deported and should keep his or her lips buttoned…particularly during the 250th annaiversary of the founding of the USA. AMERICA: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT!
Universal distress signal.
It’s a bad example of flag etiquette. The flag should only be flown upside down if it’s used as a distress signal.
Minnesota is a problem. The US republic needs to address it immediately. They need to show allegiance to this republic or leave it. Enough is enough.
Who’s the dumshiRt who put it up lhat way, eh?
Unintentional, my a__ !!