Critics are slamming Providence City Council’s decision to raise the Palestinian flag at City Hall this afternoon, calling it a slap in the face to Israel’s supporters and Jewish residents.
Triggered by requests from a mere two constituents, instead of seeking consensus through a formal vote, Council President Rachel Miller fast-tracked the approval, creating a rift that has exposed deep divisions within the Council itself.
Miller and Councilor Miguel Sanchez are scheduled to speak at Friday’s event, which the Council advertised on social media with the message: “You’re invited to a Palestinian flag raising at City Hall this Friday, May 16! Elected officials and community members will deliver remarks on the steps out front at 12 pm. Join us!”
Mayor Brett Smiley has tried to distance himself from the decision, telling NBC 10 News, “If it was up to me, I wouldn’t have flown this flag. It came in from a constituent via the City Council and I had no grounds to deny it.” His spokesman Josh Estrella emphasized the separation of powers, stating, “The Providence City Council, not Mayor Smiley’s office, will be raising the Palestinian flag on Friday.”
Councilman James Taylor described receiving “angry emails and phone calls” from constituents who wrongly believed he supported the event, and expressed concern that all 15 councilmembers were not being properly represented when actions were taken in the name of the entire Council.
Providence Young Republicans also called the flag raising “inappropriate and deeply disappointing.”
“City Hall is a civic institution representing all residents of Providence, and it should remain a place of unity – not international controversy,” the organization said. “The only flags that belong on official city flagpoles are the flag of the United States of America and the flag of the State of Rhode Island.”
Even more disturbing, a Palestinian flag has already been installed inside the City Council Chamber itself, breaking with longstanding tradition where only American, state, and city flags were displayed. Nevertheless, the Council has defended its decision by pointing to previous instances where they’ve displayed flags of other nations, including the Dominican Republic, Ireland, Armenia, and Israel.
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