Hundreds Gather As Confederate Flag Removed From S.C. Capitol

Hundreds turned out at South Carolina's Capitol building on Friday to watch the removal of the Confederate flag following a piece of legislation signed by Gov. Nikki Haley that called on the flag's removal after 54 years of flying at the government building.

Local media outlets report that the hundreds of people who showed up at the Capitol grounds in Columbia to watch the flag's descent sang "hey, hey, hey, goodbye" as the flag was lowered by police officers.

According to CNN, former state Rep. Bakari Sellers said that the lowering of the flag means that "finally we can breathe, we can sigh, we can cheer."

"This is why Rosa sat and Martin marched, so that we can have events like this," they added.

The decision to take down the flag comes after a week of contentious debates among the state's lawmakers over a bill that would remove the flag from Capitol grounds. The flag has been flying at the Capitol for the past 54 years, and has become a bitter source of debate between those who believe it represents support for slavery, and others who believe it is a representative of southern culture.

The bill to remove the flag was introduced following the June 17 massacre at an African American church in Charleston that left nine dead, including state Senator Clementa C. Pinckney.

President Barack Obama tweeted a message of hope following the removal of the flag, writing: "South Carolina taking down the confederate flag - a signal of good will and healing, and a meaningful step towards a better future."