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Tuesday, November 10, 2026Nov 10

Confederate flag flies next to NCAA arena in South Carolina

Basketball fans look out as a Confederate flag flies from a parking deck outside the arena before a second-round game of the NCAA men's college basketball tournament in Greenville, S.C., Sunday, March 19, 2017. A small group of protesters flew a large Confederate flag from the top of a parking garage next to the arena hosting two men's NCAA Tournament games. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
Basketball fans look out as a Confederate flag flies from a parking deck outside the arena before a second-round game of the NCAA men's college basketball tournament in Greenville, S.C., Sunday, March 19, 2017. A small group of protesters flew a large Confederate flag from the top of a parking garage next to the arena hosting two men's NCAA Tournament games. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt) Basketball fans look out as a Confederate flag flies from a parking deck outside the arena before a second-round game of the NCAA men's college basketball tournament in Greenville, S.C., Sunday, March 19, 2017. A small group of protesters flew a large Confederate flag from the top of a parking garage next to the arena hosting two men's NCAA Tournament games. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) – A small group of protesters flew a large Confederate flag from the top of a parking garage next to the arena hosting two men’s NCAA Tournament games.

The group arrived Sunday morning, raising the flag from the back of a pickup truck . They planned to stay throughout the games and be on grounds as fans arrived at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

Greenville police had the group move the truck about 50 feet away, citing safety concerns if the flag tipped.

Protesters said they wanted to make their presence known to the NCAA. The governing body lifted its ban against South Carolina holding championships in 2015.

By the early afternoon there were about a dozen protesters, many carrying Confederate flags, across the street from the arena’s main entrance.