ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A parade aimed at honoring veterans has turned into a battle over the Confederate flag.
A federal judge ruled on Friday that the flag could not fly in Saturday's Old Soldiers Day parade in Alpharetta. The parade is a decades-long tradition.
"We thought we'd come and check it out," said Ken Leiker, who came to see the parade with his family. "We've heard about all the old soldiers and all the pagentry. So far, it's been a lot of fun."
"I like the flags and all of the stuff and the trumpets too," said young Abby Towe, who was there with her parents.
The Alpharetta community gathered Saturday morning for the annual parade, which celebrates veterans of all wars.
The tradition has been at the center of controversy over the Confederate Battle Flag.
A year ago, the Alpharetta City Council agreed to allow the Sons of Confederate Veterans to participate in the parade, but would not allow them to fly their flag.
It did not stop protesters who were not connected with the group from waving it from along the roadside.
On Friday, a federal judge sided with the city once again this year, putting a ban on the flag for participants in the parade.
"I'm out here for two purposes," said Billy Bearden, who was in Alpharetta on Saturday, with his own Confederate flag. "One, to honor the creators of the parade, and to oppose the flag ban."
Despite the temporary ruling, Bearden came out anyway with his flag.
"It's un-American," said Jeanine O'Keefe, another parade-goer. "He has no right, with is flag there -- but you know, we are America."
Recently, a lawsuit was filed by Richard Leake and Michael Dean, which sought an injunction against the city of Alpharetta for not allowing the Roswell Mills Camp Sons of Confederate Veterans to display the Confederate flag in the parade.
In the suit, the judge was concerned about freedom of speech, but was not ready to make a snap decision.
The judge mentioned that if the suit was filed sooner, that decision could have been made.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans wrote on Facebook on Saturday that "We did not prevail in federal court, but we did not fail either."
The city responded, in part, that it wanted to continue to focus "on the fabric of Alpharetta and the many things that unite us as a very special community. As the litigation regarding this matter is ongoing, we will have no further comment at this time."
The federal judge goes on to say that the court will continue to look into the situation before making an ultimate decision.
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