The United States Marine Corps (USMC) has banned displays of the Confederate Flag at its military installations - including everything from bumper stickers to coffee mugs, Fox News reports.
The service branch said in a statement on Friday:
"The Confederate battle flag has all too often been co-opted by violent extremist and racist groups whose divisive beliefs have no place in our Corps.
"Our history as a nation, and events like the violence in Charlottesville in 2017, highlight the divisiveness the use of the Confederate battle flag has had on our society.
"This presents a threat to our core values, unit cohesion, security, and good order and discipline."
It is now no longer permitted to display the flag on public and workspaces in any capacity, however, the confederate flag can be displayed where "it is depicted, but not the main focus" such as in historical depictions of Civil War battles.
The flag is also permitted on state-issued license plates and confederate soldiers' gravesites.
In April, Marine Corps commandant Gen. David Berger, pictured above, wrote in a memo cited by Fox News: "Anything that divides us, anything that threatens team cohesion must be addressed head-on.
"I am mindful that many people believe that flag to be a symbol of heritage or regional pride. But I am also mindful of the feelings of pain and rejection of those who inherited the cultural memory and present effects of the scourge of slavery in our country."
The news has had a divided response on social media:The decision comes as unrest continues to unfold across the US, as protests - some peaceful, some violent - are calling out the systemic injustices carried out against black people, not least seen by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.
As well as a call for justice, the ongoing protests taking place across the US are also demanding an end to police brutality and the racism that is so deeply entrenched in America and the western world.
The message is simple: Black lives matter.
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