Activist replaces Pride, Donor flags at City Hall with "Appeal to Heaven" flag

[mahatmakanejeeves]

DOWNTOWN BOISE
Activist replaces Pride, Donor flags at City Hall with "Appeal to Heaven" flag


Photo by: Casey Whalen

Political activist David Pettinger flies the "Appeal to Heaven" flag at Boise City Hall on Easter morning.

By: Barclay Idsal
Posted 5:25 PM, Apr 20, 2025 and last updated 7:06 PM, Apr 20, 2025

BOISE, Idaho — Before the sun had the chance to rise on Easter Sunday, political activist David Pettinger was atop the Boise City Hall flagpole, flying the "Appeal to Heaven" flag in place of the Pride and Donor flags that stirred recent controversy.

RELATED: The ‘Appeal to Heaven’ flag evolves from Revolutionary War symbol to banner of the far right

Video captured by Casey Whalen shows Pettinger executing the "Mission Impossible" style political caper wearing clear tactical glasses, a mock-flak jacket, and a GoPro. Using a ladder, he climbs the flag pole, where he puts the Pride and Donor flags in trash bags before flying the Appeal to Heaven flag in their place.

{snip link to Twitter}

In a post on X, Casey Whalen claims the flag is a "permitted wartime naval flag" that is allowed under the newly passed flag law, House Bill 96. Although its history is based in the Revolutionary War, nowhere is the Appeal to Heaven flag named as an official flag of the United States Armed Forces. … HB 96 prohibits government entities within the state of Idaho from flying flags other than: the United States flag, state flags of the United States, flags of government entities, official military flags, the POW/MIA flag, or official flags of Indian Tribes.

Later in the day, Pam Hemphill took video of Mayor Lauren McLean unbagging the Pride and Donor flags and flying them once again. Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador previously condemned McLean's refusal to take down the flags in accordance with the new state law. … Labrador noted that while there is no current enforcement mechanism for the flag law, he hinted that lawmakers stand ready to pass stringent punitive measures for those who disobey the law in the future.

[wolfie001]

1. Bigoted jackass