Bree Newsome arrested for removing Confederate Flag in South Carolina
Bree Newsome, a millennial freedom fighter, was arrested in Columbia, South Carolina on Saturday, June 27. The activist dressed in climbing gear scaled the pole and removed the Confederate flag that waves in front of the Statehouse. She was halfway up the 30-foot-pole when she was ordered to come down by State Capitol police. She obliged only after she removed the flag. While she stayed bravely on the pole she declared, “You come against me with hatred and oppression and violence. I come against you in the name of God. This flag comes down today.”
Newsome and apparent accomplice, James Tyson who was in the area with her, were arrested. The flag has been raised again by state workers.
A staunch advocate for human rights and social justice, Newsome was arrested last year during a sit-in at the North Carolina State Capitol where she spoke out against the state’s recent attack on voting rights.
A classically trained pianist since age seven, Newsome is a graduate of New York University’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts where she received a BFA in Film & Television.
Based on her work as an undergraduate student at New York University, Newsome was invited in 2011 to serve as the first ever Artist-in-Residence at Saatchi & Saatchi, a global creative communications and advertising company headquartered in New York.
Newsome was awarded the coveted Paderewski Medal from the National Piano Guild and won a $12,000 scholarship in the vocal arts portion of the Maryland Distinguished Scholars Competition.
Newsome is at work on her debut EP and recently released the song #STAYSTRONG: A LOVESONG TO FREEDOM FIGHTERS inspired by her experiences as an activist and organizer in the modern civil rights movement.
Newsome continues to work as an activist and youth organizer in North Carolina, serving in the capacity of Western Field Organizer for the youth-led organization Ignite.
The entire flag takedown was captured on video.
