Group protests changes to Confederate monument on the Square
Members of a group called the Hiwaymen held an event Saturday at Denton Square to protest any changes to the Confederate monument at the Courthouse.
Lenn Carter, deputy chief of the Denton Police Department, said the group came to the Square around 9:30 a.m. Eight members, none from Denton, carried flags including the U.S., Confederate and Mississippi battle flag, as well as others. Members engaged in conversation and debate with others on the Square. No physical violence occurred.
Guyer High School senior Mariana Velazquez, 17, said she and a friend were driving home after breakfast on the Square when they saw the group with their flags. The two decided to go to Kroger and make a sign. When they returned around 10:15 a.m. the group was still present and there were no counter-protesters. Velazquez said this motivated them further to counter protest.
“They came into our home,” Velazquez said. “Their ideas aren’t welcome here and I don’t think it’s something that should be tolerated in Denton.”
One member of the Hiwaymen said he supported the existence of the monument because it stood for both black and white lives lost in the Civil War and the group does not support white supremacists.
Carter said the group left around 12:45 p.m. However, there is another group scheduled to meet at the Square for similar purposes at 1:30 p.m. Members of the Denton Police Department and Sheriff’s Office plan to be at the Square throughout the day.
Mississippi Battle Flag?
We would love to see what this supposed flag looks like since we believe we know everything there is to know about flags, especially concerning our own state.