US, POW/MIA flags turned upside down at three Brooklyn parks
United States and POW/MIA flags were hoisted and hung upside down at three separate sites in southern Brooklyn Friday, infuriating locals who blamed the disrespect on anti-American, far-left policies being pushed by New York pols.
The city Parks Department confirmed it sent crews Friday to fix the improperly-flying flags at John J. Carty Park and the Fort Hamilton Triangle in Bay Ridge, and Bath Beach Park in Bensonhurst. Carty Park is – next door to the Fort Hamilton Army base.
Hanging the American flag upside down is considered a distress signal under the U.S. flag code, but it's also widely used as a stunt to show disrespect for the U.S. and its government.
'I'm honestly shocked this happened in Bay Ridge,'' said Michael Ragusa, a southern Brooklyn GOP operative and city correction officer.
'Just a few years ago, it was one of the last solid Republican neighborhoods left in Brooklyn. Now, it's clear that the same un-American behavior spreading across the country is taking root right here — and New York City politicians are helping fuel it.'
5 United States and POW/MIA flags were spotted hung upside down at three separate sites in southern Brooklyn Friday – including this one at John J. Carty Park in Bay Ridge near the Fort Hamilton Army Base.
Obtained by the New York Post
Ragusa ripped Democratic Councilman Justin Brannan, who represents Bay Ridge, for joking on X that state Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar was behind the flag fiasco.
'It shows he's not serious — about his job, his constituents, or this country,' Ragusa said.
5 The flags at John J. Carty Park in Bay Ridge were fixed and flown correctly later Friday.
New York Post
The Parks Department said it alerted regional parks managers in Brooklyn to be on the lookout for similar incidents, but declined to say whether it had leads on who disrespected Old Glory.
5 Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn) joked that state Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar was behind the flag fiasco.
Stephen Yang
However, two patrons at Carty Park said they saw teenage boys Thursday pulling the flags down by a rope attached to the flag pole – and then moving them around – but they said they didn't stay around long enough to watch them turned upside down.
'It's disrespectful because a lot of vets gave their lives for this nation,' said John Meister, 29, who was at the park Friday with his two young children.
5 Republican Michael Ragusa said Brannan's comment 'shows he's not serious—about his job, his constituents, or this country.'
Both Brannan, who is term-limited and running for NYC comptroller, and Brooklyn Republican Party Chairman Richie Barsamian took credit for calling the Parks Department and demanding the flags be properly displayed after fielding complaints from residents.
5 Brooklyn Republican Party Chairman Richie Barsamian said he called the Parks Department to demand action after fielding calls for constituents upset that the flags were being flown upside down at Carty Park. Brannan said he made a similar demand.
Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post
Barsamian, who is running for Brannan's council seat, called the pol's joke about Kassar 'terribly inappropriate' — and likely a reference to a flag-raising event Kassar is part of each Memorial Day in Bay Ridge.
Brannan through a spokesperson insisted he respects the American flag, adding it 'belongs to all of us – not any one political party.'
'Nobody should be messing with a flag like that,' he said. 'It's disrespectful to all who fought and died upholding our values.'
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