City hall’s Somali flag ceremony sparks fierce political firestorm

Days away from marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, another day of independence was marked in cities where the Somali flag was raised and celebrated.

The cities of Columbus, Ohio, and Buffalo, New York, marked July 1, Somali Independence Day, by raising the flag of the East African nation over their respective city halls. The celebrations, and the site of the flag-raisings, drew sharp backlash on social media.

“Happy Somali Independence Day!” the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department declared in a since-deleted post on X. “As we celebrate the unification of the Trust Territory of Somaliland and the State of Somaliland into the Somali Republic in 1960, City Hall will be raising the flag of Somalia. ”

The City of Columbus, Ohio Recs & Parks Dept just deleted this post celebrating Somali Independence Day after getting ratioed into oblivion 😂 pic.twitter.com/VostOYOQC7

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 1, 2026

“No American government building should ever be raising another country’s flag,” journalist Mark Hemingway wrote in reaction on X. “Ugh.”

Ohio is a red state but Columbus is a solid blue city. This should come as no surprise. Additionally, I believe the Somali community in Columbus is the second largest in the states.

— edgiesversion (@edgiesversion) July 1, 2026

“City Hall is not a foreign embassy,” Mehek Cooke, an attorney and political commentator, wrote. “As an Ohioan, I am repulsed by the anti-Americanism here. Our leaders treat foreign nationalism as sacred while treating American patriotism as controversial. America’s public buildings should honor America.”

City Hall is not a foreign embassy.

As an Ohioan, I am repulsed by the anti-Americanism here. Our leaders treat foreign nationalism as sacred while treating American patriotism as controversial.

America’s public buildings should honor America. https://t.co/Ey0xRKeHnO

— Mehek Cooke🇺🇸 (@MehekCooke) July 1, 2026

Earlier this week, Somali-refugee turned U.S. lawmaker, Rep. Ilhan Omar, wore the colors of the Somali flag in a celebration in Minnesota, where nearly $9 billion in fraud has been uncovered.

Ilhan Omar celebrates Somali Independence Day in the Islamic Republic of Minnesota pic.twitter.com/IOdZoOev3K

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 28, 2026

Meanwhile, the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department post was yanked off of social media, and a city spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “A social media post created by a city department falsely stated that City Hall would raise the Somalian flag in recognition of Somali Independence Day. While the City recognizes and respects the aspirations of people around the world to live in freedom, this post was inaccurate and has been deleted.”

If Somalia is such a failed state that we need to take in tens of thousands of its citizens as “refugees,” then we really don’t need to be celebrating its supposed “independence” with patronizing posts on social media. One more way in which we encourage the refusal to assimilate. https://t.co/V2l46urZ2G

— Brian Stewart (@BrianStewartOH) July 1, 2026

We are stuck with a ton of Somali dependents while they celebrate their independence

Makes you think

— Pierre Delecto (@PierreD4547) July 1, 2026

Images from Buffalo, New York, showed a Somali flag-raising ceremony even as the city has announced that fireworks will not be allowed for the 4th of July.

BREAKING: Buffalo City Hall in NY raises a Somalia flag 1 day after canceling July 4th fireworks pic.twitter.com/DlNv3djsvD

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 1, 2026

🚨 NOW: The City of Buffalo, New York is being accused of betraying America after CANCELING July 4th fireworks and today going FULL SOMALI MODE by raising the Somali flag at City Hall

THIS IS AMERICA, NOT SOMALIA!

Those Somalis should be sent back, not celebrated! pic.twitter.com/fvQnDFqSzu

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 1, 2026

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