{"id":3557,"date":"2026-07-03T08:08:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T08:08:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3557"},"modified":"2026-07-03T08:08:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T08:08:32","slug":"buffalo-vandals-steal-somali-flag-from-city-hall-pole-days-after-mayor-canceled-fourth-of-july-fireworks-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3557","title":{"rendered":"Buffalo vandals steal Somali flag from City Hall pole \u2014 days after mayor canceled Fourth of July fireworks show"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

A Somalian flag that was raised outside of Buffalo\u2019s City Hall to commemorate Somali Independence Day was stolen in an overnight heist, the city\u2019s leftist mayor decried.<\/p>\n

Read more Water-gun wielding menace, 14, accused of terrorizing Paris tourists and cyclists as he\u2019s arrested 2 times in one week<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe City of Buffalo\u2019s flagpole in Niagara Square sustained damage after unknown vandals broke the access panel, cut the cable, and removed the Somali flag during the overnight hours of Wednesday, July 1,\u201d Mayor Sean Ryan wrote on Facebook.<\/p>\n

Ryan said the Buffalo Police Department was investigating the alleged vandalism after the city approved non-profit HEAL International to raise the white star, blue flag on July 1.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe flag had been raised by an organization called Heal International in honor of Somalian Independence Day. Heal International has been raising the Somali flag at Niagara Square for at least the last four years,\u201d Ryan said.<\/p>\n

The mayor\u2019s office shared that the \u201cpublic use\u201d flagpoles have flown banners of several countries over the years, including Ukraine, Greece, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Italy and Bangladesh.<\/p>\n

It was not immediately known how much the vandalism to the city-owned property cost.<\/p>\n

Two poles sit across the street from the eastern side of City Hall with an American flag flying on one while the secondary pole is reserved for other flags.<\/p>\n

Somali Bantu refugees have settled in Buffalo\u2019s West Side since 2003, according to the NYS Assembly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuffalo is a proud, diverse city, and our administration remains committed to honoring and celebrating the many cultures that make our community stronger,\u201d Ryan wrote.<\/p>\n

The mayor, who previously served in the NYS Senate, has taken heat for canceling a city-sponsored Fourth of July fireworks display \u2014\u00a0days before the Somalian flag was raised.<\/p>\n

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Ryan claimed plans to hold a large Independence Day celebration fell through after the hired vendor \u201craised real questions\u201d about the safety of launching fireworks near City Hall, according to WGRZ.<\/p>\n

Former New York State Republican Party Chair, Rep. Nick Langworthy ripped Ryan for the excuse.<\/p>\n

\u201cDemocrats are nominating anti-America socialist candidates across the country\u2013including right here in Buffalo,\u201d Langworthy wrote on Facebook. \u201cThe decision to cancel fireworks for our nation\u2019s 250th birthday while simultaneously raising the Somali flag has everything to with THAT and nothing to do with logistics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other Buffalo residents called out Ryan\u2019s leadership as an \u201cembarrassment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cMayor you are an embarrassment to the American people and to the citizens of Buffalo,\u201d one person wrote on Facebook.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo fireworks for our most significant birthday in our lives. Thanks!\u201d another wrote.<\/p>\n

Ryan later said the city didn\u2019t want to hold fireworks on a barge on the river because there was another display scheduled on a barge in August.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI didn\u2019t want to do them on the barge in the river because we\u2019re already doing them August 2 on the barge in the river.\u201d<\/p>\n

Buffalo is set to celebrate \u201cStars Stripes and Signers\u201d at the Buffalo Naval Park and Canalside area as part of ongoing America250 celebrations.<\/p>\n

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A Somalian flag that was raised outside of Buffalo’s City Hall to commemorate Somali Independence Day was stolen in an overnight heist, the city’s leftist mayor decried.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3556,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-metro"],"yoast_head":"\nBuffalo vandals steal Somali flag from City Hall pole \u2014 days after mayor canceled Fourth of July fireworks show - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3557\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Buffalo vandals steal Somali flag from City Hall pole \u2014 days after mayor canceled Fourth of July fireworks show - 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