A man who was using a small American flag to guide a tour group through the Smithsonian’s American History Museum was told to put away Old Glory because it might offend people.
Austin Petersen, a well-known broadcaster, was guiding a group of his fans through the museum when he was approached by a guard.
“This flag is forbidden from being displayed at the Smithsonian American History Museum because the guards said this symbol may be offensive to some who are visiting,” he wrote on X. “I was using this flag to coordinate my tour group.”
“President Trump should shut this kind of behavior down at the Smithsonian immediately,” he added.
An eyewitness to the scene verified Petersen’s account noting,”I was right there when it happened. My response was: no Americans flags at an American history museum?”
The Smithsonian, knowing that they were about to be in the middle of a national firestorm, immediately posted an apology on social media.
“Thank you again for bringing this to our attention,” a museum staffer wrote on X. “We apologize for any confusion. At the Smithsonian, American flags are celebrated and revered every day. In fact, we sell them in our stores, and we are the proud home of the original Star-Spangled Banner.”
That’s all well and good but why are rogue security guards harassing patriotic Americans inside the museum? Let’s do better, Smithsonian.