In the two months since a gunman walked into a predominately black Charleston church and killed nine parishioners on June 17, there have been at least 173 rallies and protests across the nation in support of the symbol the gunman adopted as his own: the Confederate battle flag. That works out to nearly three pro-Confederate rallies per day.
The shootings prompted a national discussion about the flag and its place in public life. Many Americans — including those who had supported it in the past — decided its proper place was in a museum, not as a symbol of government. But the flag’s supporters have held dozens of protests and rallies in support of what they see as a symbol of pride and Southern heritage.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has been tracking rallies, using data from human rights groups, news reports and social media postings to arrive at those numbers. All told the center estimates at least 23,000 people have attended a pro-flag rally, although some more passionate protesters likely attended multiple rallies.
