Westbury flags removed after complaints; town cites zero-tolerance policy for hate symbols

Sorry if anyone's offended, but that's, you know, it's my block. That's the way I wanted to put them up. Neighbors on Foster Lane and Westbury woke up Wednesday to see multiple flags on lampposts. The flag has a red cross, a black base, and says Deus Vult. I saw it was anti-Islam and it's just, it's distasteful. It's, this is a family neighborhood. There's over 30 children just on this block. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Deus Vult means God wills. It dates back to the Crusades, and the Law Center says the phrase has been used by the extremist right as a cry against Islam. Today, a lot of historical flags and imagery are used to bring hatred against groups, and that's what we see here quite often. It may be viewed as that way. Sure. There's no vulgarity in there. Stephen Cardoza tells News 12 he was the one who put up the flags. He says he wanted to make a statement but didn't elaborate. A spokesperson for Hempstead Town says it has a zero-tolerance policy for any acts of hate. Upon notification of the existence of these symbols of hate on town light poles, the town immediately contacted the Nassau County Police Department. The town says the flags have been taken down and police tell News 12 they are still investigating. You know, I told my children that it's principle. You want to stand up for what you believe in. You want to do what's right. and I felt that this was, again, very distasteful. I guess you could be offended by anything you want these days, you know, but... In Westbury, Nassau County, Jeremy Skiba, News 12.