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There has been a lot of talk about the Confederate flag since the Charleston shooting. On one side, there are people who somehow believe that it shouldn’t be seen a symbol of hate and racism, but a marker of “Southern pride.” And of course, there are the rest of us who don’t understand the first group, and know that the flag represents the history and pains of slavery, the remnants of which we are still living with today. But as they say, talk is cheap.

MUST READ: Charleston Update: AME Church Reopens For Services + Trial Judge Dismissed

While many of us have been out here getting flustered and talking each other’s ears off, a North Carolina Black female educator took matters into her own hands. At 6:30 a.m. local time, Bree Newsome grabbed her climbing gear, scaled the South Carolina statehouse flagpole and removed the Confederate flag.

Boom.

Newsome, who is an activist, was arrested for her actions, but she is being championed as a hero by many who are for taking the flag down. (Although the police have already ordered it to be replaced.)

Upon her arrest, she was overheard quoting scripture, saying:

“The Lord is my light, and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid?”

She had the help of activist James Tyson, who was also arrested at the scene.

They released a statement, saying:

“We could not sit by and watch the victims of the Charleston Massacre be laid to rest while the inspiration for their deaths continue to fly above their caskets.” 

The act was filmed as part of the #KeepItDown movement. Upon her arrest, she was met with cheers from the crowd below.

Considering that the funerals of the Charleston attack’s victims have been taking place over the past few days, it is an especially wonderful resistance gesture.

Filmmaker Michael Moore, who made the films “Bowling For Columbine” and “Fahrenheit 9/11″ has already offered to pay her bail.

An Indiegogo page has also been created to fund Newsome’s bail. If you’d like to donate, please click here.

That being said, we hope that Newsome is kept safe and comes out of this unscathed.

*Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the flag was removed in Charleston. It was actually removed in Columbia, South Carolina. We regret the error.

READ MORE:

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They Have Names: These Are The Victims Of The Charleston Church Massacre

Talk Is Cheap: Black Woman Takes Down Confederate Flag In South Carolina  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com