The National Park Service stated on Sunday that it never ordered the removal of American flags from vehicles involved in a construction project within Denali National Park and Preserve, countering claims made by right-wing media and echoed by Alaska U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan.
A conservative site reported last week that workers constructing a bridge inside the park were “recently instructed to stop flying the American flag from their trucks or heavy equipment.”
The site reported that Denali’s superintendent, Brooke Merrell, contacted the manager of the federal highways project, claiming there had been complaints about the U.S. flags and informing him that bridge workers must stop flying the stars and stripes from their vehicles because it detracts from the “park experience.”
The report gained significant traction on social media platforms in Alaska and across the nation, sparking the organization of an event to display flags at the Denali Park entrance and initiating a campaign to voice concerns to the park service. Numerous social media posts expressed disagreement with Merrell’s actions.
On Saturday, Senator Sullivan of Alaska wrote a letter to the director of the park service, labeling the situation “an outrage” and urging an investigation. The letter was shared on Sullivan’s social media platforms.
“Sullivan emphasized that during Memorial Day weekend, it’s crucial to honor the American flag, not inhibit its display by federal government personnel.” On Sunday, a spokesperson for Sullivan elaborated that “a constituent contacted the senator’s office after being instructed to remove his 3 x 5 American flag from his truck following a complaint received by the NPS park.”
In a statement released on Sunday, the park service refuted the claims. The claims suggesting that an NPS official ordered the removal of an American flag from a Denali bridge construction worker’s vehicle at Denali National Park are without merit.,” stated National Park Service Alaska spokesman Peter Christian.
“At no point did a National Park Service NPS official attempt to prohibit the American flag from the project site or vehicles involved. The service NPS does not oversee the bridge project contract, nor does it possess the jurisdiction to enforce terms or policies related to the contract or contractors. The American flag is visible at numerous spots within Denali National Park — including park facilities, campsites, public and private vehicles, and employee residences — and we encourage its display not only this Memorial Day weekend but every day.”
When questioned about any factors that might have contributed to the notion that the agency aimed to restrict or prohibit workers from displaying flags in the park, Christian responded, “I can’t speculate on the origins of such a regrettable misunderstanding.” When further asked if there had been any flag-related incidents, Christian stated, “There was never an instance where an NPS official sought to impose restrictions on flag display.” The park service representative confirmed that this statement had been provided to Sullivan’s office.
It’s infuriating that just before Memorial Day, a construction worker was prevented from flying an American flag in an Alaskan national park. I can’t fathom any federal law or regulation justifying this. I’ve reached out to @NatlParkService and demanded an explanation.
@SenDanSullivan reaffirms the stance outlined in his letter. He asserts that he can envision no law or regulation that would forbid the display of the American flag in a national park. The reality persists that one of his constituents contacted the senator’s office because the constituent.
Efforts to obtain comments from the main contractor, Granite Construction, were unsuccessful. Construction activities are underway for a 475-foot-long bridge spanning the Pretty Rocks landslide in the Polychrome Pass vicinity.
On Sunday, convoys were organized from Fairbanks and the Mat-Su region, with participants intending to showcase flags at the park entrance. Around twenty-four individuals assembled at the Walmart parking lot in Fairbanks, preparing to drive to the Denali entrance, adorning their trucks and cars with American flags.
Republican state Rep. Frank Tomaszewski and Fairbanks assemblywoman Barbara Hanley expressed solidarity after reading Sullivan’s letter, prompting their decision to participate in the event. Upon learning of the park service’s statement, Tomaszewski expressed his intention to engage with park representatives to clarify the situation.
