Social justice advocates in a Maryland community are raising concerns after learning Confederate flags were on display during a holiday parade over the weekend. 

The incident occurred during the North East Christmas Parade in Cecil County on Dec. 6, according to the social justice organization, Cecil Solidarity.

North East Mayor Kelly Benson addressed the concerns in a statement, saying, "This year, a parade entry did not uphold the event's mission, and our town's current policies did not provide adequate grounds to refuse participation to the group in question."

Cecil Solidarity shared photos from the event, showing the flags on a float from the Mason-Dixon Guards, a local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, and being carried by children wearing Cub Scout apparel. 

The group condemned and denounced the use of the flag, saying, "Confederate flags and white supremacist symbols didn't appear by accident. They're part of a continuing pattern in this county, where harmful imagery is allowed into public spaces under the familiar shield of 'heritage.'" 

According to Benson, town leaders will be taking action to ensure that "future participants uphold the values that make this event such an important part of our community's holiday season." 

The Mason-Dixon Guards Camp 2183 directed WJZ to the website for its national parent organization, Sons of Confederate Veterans, to share details about why the group uses the Confederate flag as "the symbol for the historical, patriotic, and nonprofit organization." 

"The Sons of Confederate Veterans neither embraces nor espouses acts or ideologies of racial and religious bigotry, and further condemns the misuse of its sacred symbols and flags in the conduct of same," the website reads.

According to the website, the group is the oldest organization dedicated to male descendants of Confederate soldiers, and aims to preserve the history of the 1861 to 1865. 

WJZ has reached out to the parade organizers and is awaiting a response.

Local advocates express concerns

Following the parade, Cecil Solidarity expressed concerns about what they called "harmful symbols." 

"The decision to let these groups participate [in the parade] raises serious concerns about approval processes, oversight and the standards applied to organizations seeking to engage with the public," Cecil Solidarity said. 

In a statement, the group called for "immediate corrective action" from parade organizers and local leaders, including a public acknowledgement of the harm done, a full review of the oversight process, and a commitment that "racist imagery won't be permitted at future community gatherings." 

The organization also called on community members to oppose the presence of Confederate flags and "racist symbols" at public events. 

"Cecil County deserves community events that reflect respect, dignity and inclusion. No resident should be forced to encounter symbols that celebrate racial violence while attending a holiday parade, and leadership must ensure this doesn't happen again," the organization said. 

More than 2,000 Confederate symbols are still visible in public spaces across the U.S., according to a recent report from the Southern Poverty Law Center. This includes monuments, parks, plaques, government buildings and schools. 

According to a 2024 survey from the Public Religion Institute, more than 50% of Americans support preserving the history of the Confederacy. The poll revealed a divide by race and party affiliation.