VIDEO: Confederate Group Says Flag Misunderstood

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) — The Mississippi state flag and the confederate battle flag were very visible at a rally at Ballard Park Saturday.

The Confederates United Patriot Society rallied members to support the flag and the this rally attracted people from across the area, the state and the south, who are upset over what they see as attacks on the Mississippi State Flag and an overreaching federal government.

Organizers felt the rally was necessary after some have called for the state flag to come down, in the wake of the officer-involved shooting of Ronnie Shumpert last month.

“We are really proud of our flag, it’s our heritage, there’s nothing racist about the Confederate flag, if you do research, there’s nothing racist whatsoever about the flag, but that’s the first thing they want to attack is the flag”, said Darrell Darreberry.

Among the speakers at the rally is an Oklahoman named Andrew Duncomb,  who calls himself the “Black Rebel.”

He is well known for supporting the Confederate Battle Flag.

“It’s a symbol for freedom of oppression from the government, the confederate soldiers were defending their homeland, they were defending against government they saw was tyrannical, they wanted to go back to how the constitution was originally set up”, said Duncomb.

Duncomb said the Confederate flag should not divide anyone.

“If you’re going to be ignorant, and the fact of not trying to learn and not figure out a peaceful resolution, to learn to respect one another , just as people, we all may have our own differences of opinions and things like that, we don’t have to agree on political views, sexual orientation, we can disagree but it doesn’t mean we have to hate each other, doesn’t mean we have to.”