San Francisco Removes ‘Appeal to Heaven’ Flag

The City of San Francisco removed an “Appeal to Heaven” flag from Civic Center Plaza due to its association with the Jan. 6 unrest at the Capitol.

The flag was one of the original 18 flags raised by the city on June 14, 1964, meant to commemorate a key moment or symbol in American history, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Other flags flown at Civic Center Plaza include a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag and a Texas Lone Star flag.

The “Appeal to Heaven” flag stirred up new controversy after it was revealed it was flown outside Justice Samuel Alito’s vacation home in New Jersey last year. The flag, originally flown from George Washington’s ships during the Revolutionary War, was used during the unrest at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The “Appeal to Heaven” phrase was inspired by a resolution that had been adopted by the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts following the Battle of Lexington and Concord, which used the phrase, “Appealing to Heaven for the justice of our cause, we determine to die or be free,” according to SFist.

“This flag was originally used during the American Revolutionary War, flown by George Washington’s cruisers, and is associated with the early quest for American independence. It’s since been adopted by a different group-one that doesn’t represent the city’s values, so we made the decision to swap it with the American flag,” said San Francisco Recreation and Parks communications manager Daniel Montes.

The department swapped the flag for an American flag, the Chronicle said.

The “Appeal to Heaven” flag was the maritime flag for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1776 to 1971.

The Confederate Flag previously flew at Civic Center Plaza before protesters ripped it down.