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3rd Confederate Flag Rises Along North Carolina Interstates

A display of Confederate battle flags. The Sons Of Confederate Veterans have started to raise large Confederate banners along North Carolina interstates. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)

The Sons of Confederate Veterans have raised a third large Confederate flag along a North Carolina interstate.

The latest flag was put up along Interstate 40 in Burke County near Morganton. Other rebel banners fly on I-40 in Catawba County near Hickory and Interstate 95 in Cumberland County near Fayetteville.

The Confederate flags fly on poles on private property, but are easily seen from the highway.

Civil rights leaders say they understand the group can fly the flags, but think it's wrong to not consider what the flag means to African-Americans and others.

Sons of Confederate Veterans member Robert Smith says the group wants to raise Confederate flags in each of the 17 counties I-40 runs through in North Carolina in response to the removal of Confederate monuments elsewhere.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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