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Red-state capital city sparks conservative fire over Somali flag-raising at city hall: ‘Excuse me?’
By Andrew Miller
Published July 01, 2026
The city of Columbus, Ohio, home to one of the largest Somali populations in the United States, is facing backlash on social media over a now-deleted post celebrating the raising of the Somali flag.
"Happy Somali Independence Day!" The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department posted on X on Wednesday. "As we celebrate the unification of the Trust Territory of Somaliland and the State of Somaliland into the Somali Republic in 1960, City Hall will be raising the flag of Somalia. "
The post was quickly picked up by conservatives on social media, with many wondering why the city of Columbus would celebrate Somali independence so strongly, particularly given the proximity to the 250th anniversary of American independence.
"Columbus, Ohio raising the flag of Somalia for America 250," White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller posted on X.
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The city of Columbus, Ohio sparked controversy on Wednesday when it announced it would raise the Somali flag at City Hall to celebrate Somalia's independence. (Maddie McGarvey/For The Washington Post via Getty Images; iStock)
"No American government building should ever be raising another country's flag," journalist Mark Hemingway posted on X. "Ugh."
"City Hall is not a foreign embassy," attorney and political commentator Mehek Cooke posted on X. "As an Ohioan, I am repulsed by the anti-Americanism here. Our leaders treat foreign nationalism as sacred while treating American patriotism as controversial. America’s public buildings should honor America."
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"This is AMERICA, not Little Somalia," ACT for America founder Brigitte Gabriel posted on X. "Flying the Somali flag at City Hall isn’t ‘celebration.’ It’s cultural surrender. Other nations aren’t parallel cultures here to dominate ours. Remove that flag. Remove the officials who demand it."
"Excuse me?" Daily Wire investigative reporter Luke Rosiak, who has reported extensively on emerging fraud concerns within the Somali community in Columbus, posted on X.
"Why the f--- is Columbus, Ohio celebrating ‘the unification of the Trust Territory of Somaliland…’ when America turns 250 this week?" Federalist reporter Brianna Lyman posted on X. "They all need to go back. They love their third world country so much, send them back. Denaturalize and deport."
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Skyline view of Columbus, Ohio (Matt Kazmierski via Getty Images)
"If Somalia is such a failed state that we need to take in tens of thousands of its citizens as ‘refugees,’ then we really don’t need to be celebrating its supposed ‘independence’ with patronizing posts on social media," Ohio Republican state Rep. Brian Stewart posted on X. "One more way in which we encourage the refusal to assimilate."
Fox News Digital reached out to the city of Columbus for comment.
The post from the Recreation and Parks Department was deleted shortly after Fox News Digital reached out.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/red-state-capital-city-sparks-conservative-fire-over-somali-flag-raising-city-hall-excuse-me