REBEL YELL

Confederate Battle Flag Sales Boom After Charlottesville Violence

Many of the banners are now being made in China.

A Civil War memorabilia shop in Pennsylvania says demand for Confederate flags has risen since a white-nationalist rally turned violent in Charlottesville earlier this month, Reuters reported. Store owner Chris Ackerman said demand for the flag has jumped fourfold to as many as 40 sales a week. Other Confederate flag retailers have reported similar demand spikes. Given the controversy surrounding the flag, however, many American manufacturers have stopped producing them so retailers rely on China and other countries to import the banners to meet demand. A white-nationalist activist allegedly drove his car into a crowd of anti-racism protesters on August 12, killing one and injuring dozens of others.