Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the sale of Confederate flags by a vendor at a firefighters’ parade last weekend has caused a furor on social media and led to threats against an event organizer. Confederate flags have been deemed a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League and in December, under legislation signed by former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, the flags were prohibited from being sold or displayed on state-owned property in New York. The flags were being sold by a vendor at McQuade Park in Coxsackie after the Mardi Gras parade on October 8. McQuade Park is owned by the village. The issue was raised at the October 12, meeting of the Coxsackie Village Board. Mayor Mark Evans explained that the fire company sought permission to hold the event at McQuade Park as part of the 150th anniversary celebration of D.M. Hamilton Steamer Co. No. 2. Resident Carly Lynch asked that the village develop guidelines for use of the park that are in line with the 2020 state legislation. “I expect the village to move swiftly to create guidelines that align with this state law, making it unlawful to sell or display the Confederate flag or other ‘symbols of hate’ on community property like McQuade Park or at community events,” Lynch said. She called having the Confederate flag at a local park offensive and distressing. “I was totally shocked,” Lynch said. Evans said the fire company asked the vendor to remove the Confederate flags after it was made aware of them. The vendor agreed to take the flags down around 9:30 p.m. Friday, D.M. Hamilton Steamer Co. President T.J. Moore said. Organizers and officials declined to identify the vendor. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.