Toronto city council wants ban on Confederate flag in public spaces

Toronto city council has voted to take a second look at what symbols can and cannot be displayed at public events - with an eye to banning controversial banners like the Confederate battle flag.

Coun. Neethan Shanof Ward 42 Scarborough-Rouge River introduced a motion that aimed at clarifying what symbols can be displayed during events in parks and other public spaces.

He wantedan outright ban on the Confederate flag,in particular from city-owned spaces and at city-sponsored events.

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"I think at some point we have to put our foot down and say what is not acceptable when it comes to symbols of hate," Shantold CBC Toronto on Friday.

His interest was sparked by an incident during last summer's Highland Creek Festival, which is held annually on public lands in the city's Highland Creek Village neighbourhood.

Ybia Anderson was visiting the festival with her three-year-old sonwhen she noticed a replica of the General Lee, the customized Dodge Charger from the U.S. TV program The Dukes of Hazzard.

The vehicle was displaying two Confederate flags one on its roof and the other on its bumper. Despite her objection, organizers refused to move the car.

In a tape she recorded of the incident, Anderson can be heard demanding that the person in charge of the car remove it, which he refuses to do.

"Let me tell you what I want: I want the car gone."I want it out of sight. It does not belong here," she says.

"It represents lynching and death of black people... This is racist ... This does not belong here."

On Friday, Anderson told CBC Toronto she's glad Shan is trying to ban displays of the flag in public places.

"I absolutely support it, because I think there's a disconnect happening ... Ithink people do not understand and define the Confederate flag as a hate symbol,which it is," she said.

Not a free expression issue, Shansays

Shan's motion calls on city staff to look into the feasibility of banning the flag.

He said he doesn't believe a ban could be construed as a violation of a person's right to free expression

"This is not a case of freedom of expression or freedom of speech," he said. "It is a symbol of hate that infringes on the well-being of other people in a place that is public, and a place that is publicly funded, in a place that is publicly maintained or supported by the community."

Two-thirds of councillors must agree to discuss his motion at this council meeting. Otherwise, it will be referred to a city commitee, where it could be killed, or sent back to next month's council meeting for a vote.