The Black Rebel

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI)—A rally this weekend in our area featured a well known supporter of the Confederate flag who calls himself “The Black Rebel.” Andrew Duncomb traveled from his home state of Oklahoma, to attend a rally at Ballard Park.

That rally was organized by the “Confederates United Patriots Society” in the wake of comments by some to remove the Mississippi state flag, after last month’s fatal shooting of Ronnie Shumpert by a Tupelo police officer during a scuffle.

Duncomb, who is African American, says he doesn’t believe the Mississippi state flag, or the Confederate battle flag is racist, or plays a role in any crimes.

Duncomb says, “Just because something offends somebody , doesn’t mean we should automatically oblige and take it down just because it is offensive to some. The people who are offended by those things need to learn what makes them offended by it. They say the Confederate flag stands for slavery, when is the last time , or Confederate flag oppresses you, how does that flag oppress you? You weren’t in iron chains back then, you weren’t in iron chains, so how can you say as a black guy, or any black person who wants to say the Confederate flag oppresses them, that Confederate flag never put them inside of chains.”
Before speaking at the Saturday rally, Duncomb visited with counter protesters at Ballard Park. No arrests or citations were issued at either rally.”