Juneteenth flag dispute in Aurora sparks backlash against new mayor
Aurora flag raising change sparks controversy
Some residents are questioning why the Juneteenth flag wasn’t officially raised at City Hall this year, while the city held a flag-raising ceremony for Pride earlier this month.
AURORA, Ill. - It's a day that's supposed to bring communities together, but what happened on Juneteenth in Aurora has the community divided.
What we know:
Some residents are questioning why the Juneteenth flag wasn’t officially raised at City Hall this year, while the city held a flag-raising ceremony for Pride earlier this month.
Aurora business owner Gregory Boissiere is among those left confused by the decision.
According to the city, the Pride event had been planned under the previous administration. But the Juneteenth flag was only raised a day before the holiday, following public pressure on newly-elected Mayor John Laesch.
Video from 2023 shows then-Mayor Richard Irvin raising the Juneteenth flag in a formal city-led event.
What they're saying:
Irvin said like Pride, Juneteenth was already approved and budgeted for in advance by city council. On average, he said the cost for each flag raising was $1,500 or less.
"The medial cost in a $750 million to celebrate our community and our liberty and our freedom - it is small and that's what government is for. If this mayor truly wanted to assist the community," Irvin said.
During his campaign, Laesch said he wanted to scale back public relations events, including flag ceremonies. In a statement, he acknowledged the criticism and said he "would like to own up to his mistakes."
"Previously, City-run flag-raising events came at the cost of taxpayer funds. My objective is to still honor the diverse cultural heritage that makes up this City, yet do so in a community-minded, fiscally responsible manner. This is why I am choosing to cut back on the flag raising ceremonies of the past and instead, supporting community-led events that celebrate important holidays to Aurora's diverse population," said Mayor Laesch.
What's next:
Laesch did attend a community-led Juneteenth celebration.
According to the mayor’s office, community groups may still request to have a flag raised at City Hall.