In response to anti-racist protests, the American Mississippi removes the Confederation emblem from its flag

The US Mississippi Parliament passed a bill Sunday to remove the emblem of the Confederation from the flag of the South American state, in a move that meets one of the demands of anti-racist protests in the United States, which calls for the eradication of all symbols of the country's racist past.

As soon as the bill was passed in the Senate, the voices of the members who celebrated this event were chanted, hugging and handshaking.

Mississippi is the only US state that I have seen still holding the flag of the "Confederate United States" army, consisting of a white rectangle in the upper left corner of it, a red square with a diagonal blue cross inside it, with small white stars.

This flag, which represented the southern states that refused to abolish slavery during the War of Secession (1861-1865), and for many represents a symbol of the country's racist past.

Protests across the country against ethnic discrimination and police brutality after the death of black American George Floyd during his detention have prompted calls for the removal of the Confederate Monument and other symbols associated with slavery in the United States.

Two years ago, lawmakers in Mississippi refused to dispose of a flag that they considered an integral part of the south's heritage and culture.

But the increasing pressure of the state’s business, sports, culture, and civil society circles resulted in a shift in the position of these legislators, who on Saturday approved by a two-thirds majority of the state’s two-member congresses (the House and Senate) a resolution authorizing discussion of a bill to redraw the state flag.

The draft law passed on Sunday mandates a 9-member committee to design a new state flag, and stipulates that the new flag be devoid of a confederate slogan, and in return include the phrase "God we trust."

The new flag will be presented to state voters for approval in a public referendum in the coming November. If they agree to it, it will be approved, otherwise the state will become without knowledge until a new flag is approved.

And Saturday, State Governor Tate Reeves - who had previously opposed changing the state flag - announced that he would not use his veto power to repulse this law, but would sign it if it was passed by Congress.