Public safety priority with streets crowded

String of vehicles displaying various flags allowed to travel through downtown Blue Ridge

  • Blue Ridge police officers, from left, Patrolman Thomas Davis, Captain Robbie Stuart and Chief Johnny Scearce, are shown directing one of the approximate 50 to 75 vehicles flying a variety of flags through Blue Ridge Saturday evening. They are at the intersection of West Main and Depot streets.
    Blue Ridge police officers, from left, Patrolman Thomas Davis, Captain Robbie Stuart and Chief Johnny Scearce, are shown directing one of the approximate 50 to 75 vehicles flying a variety of flags through Blue Ridge Saturday evening. They are at the intersection of West Main and Depot streets.

    “The police department did a great job,” Rhonda Haight said just after a string of between 50 and 75 vehicles made its way through downtown Blue Ridge.

    The Blue Ridge councilwoman was referring to a group of flag wavers that passed through  late Saturday evening, September 5.

    In trucks and cars of various shapes and sizes, those taking part displayed American, Confederate, state, police and political flags flying from poles, draped across hoods, and attached in all manner of ways.

    In the days before the event, which had been referred to as a parade, social media was filled with various rumors of what might and might not take place, and what the display really meant or did not mean.

    After it was over, Haight continued, “The Blue Ridge Police Department did a very good job in protecting public safety as well as protecting First Amendment rights. From what I observed, everyone was respectful and adhered to traffic laws. This shows we can all work together.”

    Prior to the event, Police Chief Johnny Scearce said this was not a “parade” because the group did not have a parade permit.

    However, knowing the large string of vehicles was coming, the department took action to handle the traffic increase, especially with the large number of people already in town for the Labor Day weekend.

    Scearce called one of the event organizers and explained the string of vehicles would not be allowed to go down the crowded, one-way portion of  East Main Street. 

    The police chief said this would cause too much of a danger to the public in the case of an emergency requiring an officer, ambulance or fire truck needing to get into the heart of downtown.

    The volume of projected vehicles would also cause a traffic bottleneck at the intersection of East Main Street and Mountain Street at the four-way Stop.

    The organizer agreed to follow the chief’s instructions.

    During a meeting with officers, Scearce outlined the route the string of vehicles would be allowed to take, which did include part of the downtown area. It was designed to guard public safety while prevent ing excessive traffic in already highly congested areas, while at the same time protecting the First Amendment rights of those wanting to display flags.

    Officers were then assigned to all the major intersections where the vehicles were to travel.

    Scearce and Captain Robbie Stuart instructed the officers that all traffic laws were to be strictly enforced.

    A Georgia State Patrol trooper was also in the area of Blue Ridge and Highway 515 to help ensure public safety.

    After traveling through Blue Ridge, the string of vehicles continued to McCaysville. There, Police Chief Michael Earley and Office Peter Kusek directed traffic to move the vehicles through town quickly, while also guarding public safety and protecting First Amendment rights.