NJ mayor and township face backlash over Charlie Kirk flag decision

🚩 Sparta officials say they followed NJ law on flag-lowering orders

🎥 Mayor says viral “moment of frustration” video was taken out of context

⚖️ Township cites threats and hateful remarks after controversy escalated

SPARTA — A Sussex County township and its mayor have found themselves in the spotlight after choosing not to lower the U.S. flag in honor of assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

After deciding not to follow President Donald Trump's federal proclamation to lower the flag in honor of Kirk for four days, the township issued a statement that reiterated it was following state law, which requires towns to follow the governor’s orders about lowering the flag.

The state's online flag status page did not include President Donald Trump's proclamation to lower the flag for Kirk between Sept. 10 and Sept. 14.

"In the township’s opinion, N.J.S.A. 52:3-12.1 requires all municipal governments to comply with the New Jersey governor’s orders on flying the United States flag at full or half-staff. At all times, the township complied with the New Jersey governor’s orders with respect to the flying of the U.S. flag at town hall," read the statement.

The statement also repeated Mayor Neill Clark’s contention that a special meeting would have been necessary to make that decision. The mayor is not able to make decisions without the approval of the Township Council.

“While the Township acknowledges that the foregoing statement will not satiate every resident, it respects civil and peaceful discourse and divergence of opinion surrounding this matter,” the municipality's statement says.

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Sparta mayor: 'Moment of frustration' video taken out of context

In a separate statement, the Democratic mayor said that the video of him angrily talking about a Catholic church shooting in Minneapolis was taken out of context. The mayor said he had already addressed the crowd and was on his way out.

Clark said his "moment of frustration" did not reflect the compassion he said he feels for Kirk's family and victims of gun violence.

"I was not planning to speak until people from the crowd asked me to do so. In no way did I intend to interrupt or interfere with the candlelight vigil. In my speech in front of the township flagpole, I expressed sadness and sympathy for Charlie Kirk’s family and explained why both state law and Council best practices did not enable the flag to be lowered," Clark said in his written statement.

Sparta officials cite threats, harassment

Clark, who is an attorney with a private firm, said the video has led to "deeply disturbing threats and hateful remarks" against township workers, his own employer and him personally.

"Public service is never easy, but no one — not me, not my colleagues, not my family — should be subjected to abuse simply for doing the work of governing. I ask that we all remember humanity in one another, especially during difficult moments like this," Clark said.

COVERING NEW JERSEY: CHARLIE KIRK

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