Tipsheet

Another US City Is Raising the Somali Flag Ahead of America's 250th Birthday

Dmitri Bolt
Dmitri Bolt  |  July 02, 2026 12:45 PM

First Columbus, Ohio, and now Buffalo, New York, have made it clear: American patriotism is optional, but showing allegiance to a country with no ties to the United States is mandatory. 

In Buffalo, the city raised the Somali flag at City Hall on Wednesday to mark Somali Independence Day, just one day after canceling its Fourth of July fireworks display in celebration of America's 250th birthday. 

The fireworks show was canceled, seemingly for logistical reasons, after city officials announced they had been unable to secure a safe and widely accessible venue.

“The administration had been in discussions with local business leaders to plan a Fourth of July fireworks event for the City of Buffalo," a city spokesperson said in a statement. "After exploring potential locations, an appropriate site could not be identified that would provide a safe and widely accessible viewing experience for residents. As a result, the City will not be hosting a downtown fireworks display this year."

This comes just a day after a similar incident in Columbus, Ohio, where the city’s parks and recreation division posted on social media celebrating Somali Independence Day and announced it, too, would hoist the Somali flag at City Hall. The post was quickly deleted, but not before officials were blasted by conservatives.