Virginia officials ordered American flag removed from building, fearing it a 'target' for protesters

State officials in Virginia this week ordered the removal of a massive American flag from the side of a building under construction, claiming that the national symbol might cause activists in the vicinity to target it for violence. 

Workers hung a giant flag on the side of the forthcoming General Assembly building on Richmond's Broad Street this week. The flag, constructed out of tarps, was made by a local contractor. 

But officials with the state's Department of General Services subsequently demanded that the flag be removed, claiming that it might serve as a catalyst for violent behavior on the part of local activists. Richmond has been the scene of numerous protests, some of them violent, as part of the worldwide Black Lives Matter movement. 

Dena Potter, a spokeswoman for the department, told the Washington Post that over the past month the city has witnessed "buildings and structures around Capitol Square vandalized and flags, dumpsters, a bus and other items set ablaze during demonstrations around the city."

“When we saw the flag, we were concerned that it could become a target so we told the contractor to remove it," she said. 

The flag had reportedly been placed on the side of the construction project with the approval of the general contractor in charge of the project. Potter said the company was "very responsive when we asked them to remove it."