A historic but controversial flag that has become a symbol of the far right was taken down in front of San Francisco City Hall over the weekend. According to a city official, the “Appeal to Heaven” flag was swapped with an American flag on Saturday. Officials say the controversial flag was initially raised on Flag Day in 1964 at Civic Center and wa…

The city of San Francisco has taken down an “Appeal to Heaven” flag that’s flown in its Civic Central Plaza for 60 years after the The New York Times described it as a “January 6 symbol” in a piece noting that it flew at a beach home owned by Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito and his wife.

The white flag, which depicts a pine tree in the center of it with the words “An Appeal to Heaven” emblazoned above it, was taken down by the city on Saturday, around three and a half years after the January 6 Capitol riot took place and just a few days after the Times piece castigating Alito for flying it came out.

It was first raised by the city in 1964 as part of a project to highlight various flags of historical significance to the country. The Appeal to Heaven flag was designed by George Washington’s private secretary and flown by the commanding general of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Pine trees were a symbol of resistance in revolutionary-era New England and the quote comes from John Locke’s Second Treatise on Government.

Nevertheless, the Times insinuated — and Alito’s left-wing critics insisted — that it constituted proof of the Justice’s allegiance to 2020 election conspiracy theories. “Justice Alito’s Beach House Displayed ‘Appeal to Heaven’ Flag, a Jan. 6 Symbol,” read one of the headlines affixed to the article.

In a letter rejecting calls for his recusal from January 6-related cases on Wednesday, Alito wrote that he “had no involvement in the decision to fly that flag” and noted that his “wife is fond of flying flags.”

He continued:

I was not familiar with the “Appeal to Heaven” flag when my wife flew it. She may have mentioned that it dates back to the American Revolution, and I assumed she was flying it to express a religious and patriotic message. I was not aware of any connection between this historic flag and the “Stop the Steal Movement,” and neither was my wife. She did not fly it to associate herself with that or any other group, and the use of an old historic flag by a new group does not necessarily drain that flag of all other meanings.

“A reasonable person who is not motivated by political or ideological considerations or a desire to affect the outcome of Supreme Court cases would conclude that this event does not meet the applicable standard for recusal,” added Alito. “I am therefore duty-bound to reject your recusal request.”

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