What to Know
- Overnight Thursday into Friday the Russian flag that is displayed among the flags of the world along Philadelphia's Ben Franklin Parkway was removed and replaced with a Ukrainian flag.
- "This City is aware that the Russian flag on the Parkway was removed last night without the City’s knowledge and the Belarus flag was vandalized," a statement from Philadelphia said.
- A crew replaced the Russian flag late Friday morning.
The Russian flag was nowhere to be found for hours Friday morning among the flags of the world that traditionally adorn Philadelphia's Ben Franklin Parkway -- instead a Ukrainian flag was in its place.
An NBC10 employee overnight noticed a utility truck with a basket underneath the Russian flag and others standing around watching at 20th Street and the Parkway.
When an NBC10 photojournalist went to check it out about 20 to 30 minutes later, a blue and yellow Ukrainian flag hung from the pole where the white, blue and red Russian flag once hung. The sign saying “Russia” above the flag was also gone.
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The new Ukrainian replacement flag was slightly smaller than the rest of the Parkway flags. The original Ukrainian flag remained at Cherry Street and the Parkway. So, two Ukrainian flags were displayed, but no Russian flag was visible.
Russia has been the subject of criticism around the world and cancelations in the United States and Philadelphia region due to its invasion of Ukraine last week.
The flag of Russia's ally Belarus on the Parkway was also vandalized overnight.
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NBC10 reached out to the City of Philadelphia to find out who was responsible for the Russian flag replacement.
"This City is aware that the Russian flag on the Parkway was removed last night without the City’s knowledge and the Belarus flag was vandalized," a statement from Philadelphia said. "We're investigating these incidents. The City will replace the flags as soon as possible, which depends on their availability."
The city appeared to have an extra Russian flag. While NBC10 was on the scene late Friday morning, a crew from the city put up a new Russian flag. The vandalized Belarusian flag was removed.
It still wasn't clear who messed with the flags in the first place.
