Who replaced Long Beach Police Department flag with Trump's MAGA flag? Here's everything you need to know
On Sunday, October 4, morning, the Long Beach Police Department reportedly said they are looking for the person who stole a city flag from a flagpole and replaced it with a political banner of President Donald Trump outside the police headquarters, according to officials.
According to a report by KTLA5, the perpetrator placed a padlock on the flagpole "in order to restrict the flag's removal," the police said in a statement. Officials had to use bolt cutters to remove the lock and take out the red MAGA flag. The department said a crime report was filed and an investigation has started to find the person responsible.
The department, in a statement, wrote, "LBPD is an apolitical organization and does not participate in any political activity that promotes one political party over another. Flags or images depicting political activity are not authorized or endorsed by the LBPD." The flagpole is situated among others in a secured construction area of the Long Beach Police Department public safety building and is only accessible from a small security parking lot with a construction trailer, KTLA5 reports.
The access to that area is limited to construction workers. A surveillance video was released by the department which shows a person by the flagpole, however, it is not clear who the person is and what was the purpose of that individual.
They tweeted about the video as well and wrote: "We're still reviewing evidence to find those responsible for this. Video shows a subject cross the street, enter our lot which is under construction & change the flag. No indication the subject is a #LBPD employee & we’re working w/ construction company to locate any witnesses."
We’re still reviewing evidence to find those responsible for this. Video shows a subject cross the street, enter our lot which is under construction & change the flag.
— Long Beach PD (CA) (@LBPD) October 4, 2020
No indication the subject is a #LBPD employee & we’re working w/ construction company to locate any witnesses. pic.twitter.com/8toJXWmXQ1
Assistant Chief of Police, LBPD, Wally Hebeish also tweeted, "#LBPD is currently working on identifying the individual/s responsible for this incident. We are reviewing all available information and evidence and will update this message as facts become available."
#LBPD is currently working on identifying the individual/s responsible for this incident. We are reviewing all available information and evidence and will update this message as facts become available. https://t.co/eNuMx8hQDP
— Assistant Chief Wally Hebeish (@LBPDAsstChief) October 4, 2020
This a developing story and will be updated as and when we get new information.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, October 4, evening, President Trump, for a short while, left Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to wave at supporters gathered outside the facility. Trump, was seen wearing a mask and seated inside a black SUV as he waved at fans. As NPR reports, other images showed Secret Service agents inside the vehicle with personal protective gear on.
Before his visit, he tweeted a video thanking the doctors and staff at Walter Reed for treating him for Covid-19 and he also announced that he was about to "make a little surprise visit" outside to greet supporters. “We're going to pay a little surprise to some of the great patriots that we have out on the street, and they've been out there for a long time and they've got Trump flags and they love our country,” Trump said.
This incident was criticized by many on social media and people were talking about how this puts the health of his secret Service agents at risk.
