Support for keeping the Confederate Battle Flag flying and Confederate War monuments in place spread to the Cedar Creek Lake area Sunday, July 19, 2015.
Dozens of cars and motorcycles sporting the Confederate Battle Flag and the American Stars and Stripes Flag gathered in Gun Barrel City Village's parking lot Sunday afternoon about 2 p.m. before moving in a caravan to Athens to attract more attention.
The event, called "Support Our Flag" lasted about a half hour before taking off for Athens. Organizers standing in the back of a pickup truck called on the crowd of more than 100 in Gun Barrel City to protect their heritage.
One of the participants in the caravan, Mark Smith of Seven Points, said the group's participants only wanted to preserve their Southern heritage. "They are trying to tear down our flag and our monuments," Smith said. "I'm not trying to tear down any Muslim things, although I'd like to."
No law enforcement officers attended the event in Gun Barrel City or escorted the caravan.
The group planned to drive along State Highway 175 to Athens, around the loop and then back to the Mabank pavilion, according to organizers' plans.
The organizers stressed on Facebook that the rally had nothing to do with racial issues or White Supremacy.
One of the trucks in the caravan carried a sign saying the event was not about "White vs. Black" but "North vs. South." (Read remarks from the truck owner in the comments below.)
Smith said the rally was organized via social media.
Opponents of the Confederate Battle Flag and associated Confederate Civil War memorials claim they are an insult to the descendants of former slaves, and that they perpetuate racism and division in the nation.
