NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Mississippi's state flag was not raised at Liberty State Park Friday after New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy banned it because it features the Confederate battle emblem.
It's an annual tradition that flags from every state go up in the park; they went up Friday and will remain there until the fall.
"The Confederate symbol displayed on the Mississippi State flag is reprehensible and does not reflect our values of inclusivity and equality," Murphy said in a statement. "I applaud (State) Senator (Sandra) Cunningham for bringing this issue in her district to my attention."
Murphy said the Garden State is "rooted in our diverse communities" and said the American flag will fly in Mississippi's place.
Cunningham said, "The Confederate flag symbolizes an era of hate, violence, and division. I thank Gov. Murphy for his commitment to tolerance and equality and for the decision to remove this hateful symbol from Liberty State Park. Hate has no home in New Jersey."
Mississippi is the only state with the Confederate emblem.
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