Ohio Hotel: Flag Is Broken ... Not Mourning bin Laden

It's a very bad time to get your flag stuck at half-mast
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 6, 2011 1:14 PM CDT
Ohio Hotel in Hot Water After Broken Flag Stuck at Half-Mast Seen as Mourning Osama bin Laden
A flag (not the one in question) flies at half-mast.   (Getty Images)

An Ohio hotel has been fending off angry phone calls because a broken rope on its flagpole led some to think the business was mourning the death of Osama bin Laden. The rope left the US flag stuck at half-mast for several days this week outside a Hampton Inn in Springfield in western Ohio. The assistant GM tells the Springfield News-Sun the hotel "started getting calls left and right" from people assuming the management supported bin Laden.

She says one man threatened to cut down the flagpole. The newspaper reports the rope broke as the hotel was trying to be respectful of Old Glory by replacing a flag that had frayed. (More American flag stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X