A revised version of the National Park Service’s account regarding removing American flags from construction workers’ vehicles has been released, contrasting the agency’s initial statement.
In the latest statement, the Park Service acknowledges that an employee from Denali Park contacted the Federal Highway Administration. This communication was intended to inform a Granite Construction project superintendent about a visitor’s complaint regarding the flapping sound of an American flag mounted on a vehicle traveling along Parks Road. The construction of a bridge at Pretty Rocks, near Mile 43 of Park Road, necessitates approximately one trip per day back to the Parks Highway to retrieve items from a job parts yard located outside the park.
“After additional examination, it has been verified that a Denali National Park employee alerted FHWA personnel regarding a visitor’s concern about a flag ‘flapping’ on Denali Park Road. The employee inquired about the appropriate procedure for requesting the flag’s detachment from a contractor’s vehicle to mitigate impacts on wildlife and visitors,” stated park spokesman Peter Christian. “This action was taken without authorization and the superintendent’s awareness. Park authorities have implemented corrective measures to ensure that future communications between the park and projects adhere to proper protocols.”
Importantly, this version closely aligns with the account provided by construction workers. However, they did not mention the phrase “appropriate way to request” concerning the flag’s removal, seen as an affront to First Amendment rights.
Of note, the statement highlighted that Park Superintendent Brooke Merrell, who has faced widespread criticism for the incident due to her leadership role in the park, was not consulted before the decision was made to remove the flags. Instead, a lower-level employee contacted the FHA project manager and requested that the flags be removed from workers’ vehicles. Notably, the Denali Park Service offered no apology for its employees’ actions or the misrepresentation of events to the public, nor did it address the allegations of running a smear campaign against those who reported the incident.
In the previous statement, the incident was outright denied, with implications that workers who reported it to independent media outlets in Alaska were being dishonest:
“The reports alleging that a National Park Service (NPS) official ordered the removal of an American flag from a Denali bridge construction worker’s vehicle at Denali Park are inaccurate. There was no instance where an NPS official sought to prohibit the display of the American flag at the project site or on associated vehicles. It’s important to clarify that the NPS neither oversees the bridge project contract nor holds the authority to enforce terms or policies related to the contractors performing the work. We acknowledge the presence of the American flag at various locations within Denali National Park, including park facilities, campsites, public and private vehicles, and employee residences. We embrace the display of the flag not only during Memorial Day weekend but also on any given day.”
