South Carolina legislature approves removal of Confederate flag

The South Carolina House on Thursday passed a state senate bill to remove the controversial Confederate battle flag from the state capitol grounds amid heated debates over the symbolism of the flag that belonged to the pro-slavery side in the U.S. Civil War.

The House vote of 94-20 to take down the Confederate flag came early Thursday morning after more than 13 hours of debating, and just weeks after a racially motivated massacre claimed nine African-American lives at a Bible study in Charleston.

Since the state's Senate had already passed the same bill, the bill would be sent to South Carolina Governor Nikki Harley's desk for signing. Harley has already hinted that she would sign the bill.

South Carolina House's Thursday vote to approve the removal of the Confederate flag came as a surprising move, as the state was the first to leave the Union in 1860 and the first to raise the controversial flag at its statehouse half a century ago to protest the nationwide civil rights movement.

It also settles for now the political debates about what the Confederate flag truly represents. Supporters argue that the flag represents the South heritage and pride, while opponents say the flag is a strong symbol of racial hatred.

Debates about the symbolism of the Confederate flag was reignited after a 21-year-old white gunman Dylann Roof shot down nine African-American churchgoers on June 17.

Police said that Roof, an advocate of the Confederate flag, stayed at a prayer meeting for almost one hour before opening fire.

U.S. TV network CNN quoted a law enforcement officer as saying that witnesses told police that the suspect had said he was at the church "to shoot black people." Endi