An American flag flown upside down at a Somali Independence Day celebration in St. Cloud, Minnesota, on July 3 has drawn criticism and prompted apologies, with organizers attributing the display to an unintentional error. The incident occurred at Lake George Park Pavilion, where an estimated 500 people attended the event.
The St. Cloud Police Department confirmed receiving a call about the flag on July 3 at approximately 5:29 p.m. A video shared on social media showed the flag inverted on a city flagpole. A police officer corrected the flag's position without objection, and event organizers informed city staff that the display was not intentional.
Despite the organizers' explanation, some community members expressed skepticism. St. Cloud City Councilman Scott Brodeen stated his disgust, questioning how the error went unnoticed by attendees, politicians, and organizations present, including the AFL-CIO and the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), which had booths at the event. Brodeen noted that by the time he arrived, the flag had already been fixed.
Kathy Neumeister, a Sauk Rapids resident whose husband is a military veteran, viewed videos of the incident online and visited the event. She reported that attendees she spoke with claimed not to have noticed the flag was upside down. When she contacted the mayor's office, a spokesperson suggested a city staffer might have made a mistake. Neumeister questioned the competence of such staff.
St. Cloud Mayor Jake Anderson addressed the concerns, stating that the event organizer, a local nonprofit called Internal Housing Assistance, had apologized for the unintentional error. The mayor noted that the city has worked with this organizer for over 11 years without prior incidents and appreciated residents who reported the issue. The flag was reportedly corrected before any speakers took the stage.
Omar Podi, executive director of Internal Housing Assistance, accepted full responsibility for the flag's improper display. He emphasized that it was not intended as a sign of disrespect to the United States, its citizens, veterans, or attendees. Podi referenced ongoing discussions about a significant fraud scheme in Minnesota, which has largely involved the Somali community, in explaining the community's sensitivity to such matters. St. Cloud is home to a substantial Somali population, one of the largest in a state with a significant Somali immigrant presence.
Podi assured that measures would be taken to prevent recurrence.
Councilman Brodeen commented that while he did not want to "manufacture outrage," the situation felt "very well warranted." He stated that while protesting is a right, a display of disrespect towards a flag representing sacrifices made by service members was unfathomable, particularly during the nation's 250th anniversary year.