Mike Pompeo Forced Seoul’s U.S. Embassy to Remove a Pride Flag and Black Lives Matter Banner

Mike Pompeo Forced Seoul’s U.S. Embassy to Remove a Pride Flag and Black Lives Matter Banner

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The US Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, was recently forced to take down both a rainbow flag celebrating Pride Month and a Black Lives Matter banner hung in support of the protests against police brutality and the murders of Black men, women and children in the United States. The State Department offices of Mike Pompeo specifically requested the take down.

Ambassador Harry Harris tweeted on June 13, making it clear that hanging the banner was his decision:

Translation: I believe what President John F. Kennedy said at American University on June 10, 1963. “If we can’t get rid of each other’s differences right now, at least we can help them become a safe world that respects diversity.” The United States is a free and diverse country. From diversity, we gain strength.

Unfortunately, the United States government doesn’t seem to agree.

The State Department explained that the United States doesn’t promote specific organizations or encourage contributions to nonprofits. Most of us know that Black Lives Matter is not only a nonprofit organization, but also a movement created to stand against the systemic racism and brutality toward Black lives in this country. It’s probably safe to say that no one looking at the banner in Seoul assumed this was the US Embassy’s way of promoting monetary contributions to the cause, but rather a show of support and solidarity.

You know, like the tweet says.

After the removal at the US embassy in Seoul, the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, Rep. Eliot Engel, had this to say:

As for the Pride flag, which was reportedly hung in late May, according to the US embassy’s Facebook page, its removal was not even explained. Cool.

What are your thoughts on the US embassy in Seoul, South Korea, being forced to remove its Pride flag and Black Lives Matter manner?

Featured image of US embassy by Lee Jin-Man / AP

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