Student removes nearly 3,000 US flags from Sept. 11 display

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A member of Washington University’s student government placed nearly 3,000 U.S. flags meant to commemorate victims of the Sept. 11 attacks in trash bags, prompting an investigation by the school.

Fadel Alkilani acknowledges that he put the 2,977 flags in plastic bags on Saturday at the campus in St. Louis. The university’s College Republicans had put up the flag display to honor the 20th anniversary of the attacks. Alkilani said he intended to leave the bags along with statistics about the human cost of the aftermath of the attacks.

Chancellor Andrew Martin says the action was “reprehensible” and the university will follow its standard protocols to determine any possible consequences for the removal. The College Republicans reinstalled the flags on Saturday.