ONE DAY AFTER THE SAME ISSUE WAS REPORTED YESTERDAY DUE TO A BUS DRIVER SHORTAGE BLAMED
ON COVID-19.
>> OUR OTHER BIG STORY, IT
APPEARS THIS WILL NOT BE GOING
AWAY ANYTIME SOON. THIS FLAG
FLYING OVER DOWNTOWN WITH A
PROFANE MESSAGE FOR PRESIDENT
BIDEN. SKY 4 DRONE RECORDED
THIS VIDEO TODAY. AND THE
FLAGS ATOP A CRANE DOCKED
ALONG THE SAINT JOHNS RIVER.
>> CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE
BEEN TRYING TO GET THE OWNER
OF THE CRANE DO TAKE THE FLAG
DOWN SO FAR WITH NO RESULTS.
AND TODAY WITH NEWS, 4 JAX
REPORTER JIM PIGGOTT WENT TO
THE PROPERTY. THE COMPANY HAD
HIM AND HIS NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER
LOCKED INSIDE THEIR LOT. THEY
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET FREE.
AND JIM IS JOINING US LIVE TO
TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED. JIM.
>> YOU KNOW, JOHN, WE’RE ONLY
DETAINED A SHORT TIME. BUT LET
ME SHOW YOU THIS IS A LOT
BEHIND ME HERE WHERE THE CRANE
SET THAT WE UNDERSTAND IS
OWNED CROSSED A TOWING AS
WELL. AND THAT CRANE ON TOP OF
THAT IS THAT CONTROVERSIAL
FLAG AND WHAT WE DO UNDERSTAND
THE I’VE BEEN TRYING TO TALK
TO THE OWNER SINCE FRIDAY, BUT
WHEN I WENT OUT HERE TODAY
WITH THE PERSON THAT WAS HERE
ON THE LOTT SAID THE BOSS MAN
TOLD HIM TO LOCK THE GATE
WHILE WE WERE INSIDE.
>> HERE’S HOW THIS PLAYED OUT
JUST AFTER 11 THIS MORNING. MY
PHOTOGRAPHER AND I ARRIVED AT
THE SITE OWNED BY CROSSED A
TOWING. THERE WERE NO SIGNS
SAYING KEEP OUT OR NO
TRESPASSING. I WAS JUST
LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO
OPERATED THE BOAT AND CRANE
AND WHEN I SAW A MAN WALKING
OFF THE TUG BOAT, I ASKED HIM
WHEN CHANCE FOR YOU ACROSS THE
STATE. HE KEPT WALKING AND I
KEPT ASKING IF HE WAS WITH
CROSS STATE, HE WALKED UP TO
THE GATE AND I DIDN’T KNOW
WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE TIME.
AND THEN HE LOCKED IT. HE SAID
THE BOSS MAN TOLD ME TO LOCK
THE GATE AGAIN. WE’RE JUST
TRYING TO FIND OUT INFORMATION
ABOUT THIS FLAG. LAST WEEK.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE
TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING
AND WE’RE UNDER THE IMPRESSION
THAT IT WOULD BE COMING DOWN.
IT WAS ONLY DOWN FOR A FEW
HOURS DURING THE GATOR BOWL
GAME. TODAY. WE SAT THERE IN
THAT LOT JUST FOR A SHORT
WHILE I ASKED THE MAN AND I
SAID WHAT WE HAVE TO CALL THE
POLICE IN ORDER TO GET OUT. HE
DIDN’T SEEM TO CARE. WE DID
THAT. BUT A SHORT TIME LATER,
HE OPENED THE GATE AND LET
ANOTHER WORKER NOW.
♪
>> TRYING TO FIND OUT ON THAT
FLIGHT.
♪
FLIGHT. ♪ TRYING TO GET OUT TO
>> OKAY. WE’RE LEAVING. THIS
FLAG CONTINUES TO FLY AS YOU
CAN SEE FROM THE SKY. 4 DRONE
TODAY I TALKED TO REPUBLICAN
CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT SAM
NEWBY ABOUT THE SITUATION. I’M
REALLY SURPRISED THAT IS STILL
UP THERE BECAUSE THAT THIS IS
NOT JACKSON, TOO. THERE’S
REALLY NOT JACKSONVILLE. AND
I’M SAD THAT THIS FLIGHT STILL
BE A LAST WEEK. HE SAID HE
THOUGHT IT WAS RESOLVED AND
WHEN IT WENT BACK UP, HE SAID
HE’S BEEN TRYING TO REACH OUT
TO THE COMPANY AND NOW HE’S
TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS
WHOLE SITUATION? IS THERE
ANYTHING THE CITY CAN DO?
>> WELL, I’VE BEEN TALKING
WITH THE MAYOR THEN ALSO
OFFICE GENERAL COUNSEL. WE
TRYING TO RESOLVE AND I THINK
WE HAVE THE SOLUTION FOR, YOU
KNOW, FOR THIS AND HOPEFULLY
BY END OF THE WEEK, WE SHOULD
HAVE THIS WAS THERE’S NOTHING
ILLEGAL ABOUT FLYING A FLAG
WITH PROFANITY AND THE COMPANY
DOES ON THE BARGE. FOR NOW.
IT’S NOT BEING USED ON ANY
CITY OR STATE PROJECT.
>> AND THIS IS WHERE IT’S JUST
STORED.
>> AGAIN, THIS WAS THE SECOND
TIME THAT I’VE REACHED OUT TO
THE COMPANY TRYING TO GET
COMMON AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT
HAPPENED. NOW, WE’RE TOLD THAT
THESE FLAGS ARE SOLD ONLINE
AND THEY ARE ON A NUMBER OF
PROPERTIES AROUND TOWN,
PARTICULARLY IN THE MANDARIN
AREAS. WHAT WE’RE TOLD NOW,
SOME LAWYERS AND EVEN COUNCIL
MEMBERS SAY THIS IS A MATTER
OF FREE SPEECH. SO THERE’S
REALLY NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO
ABOUT IT AT THIS POINT.
THEY’RE JUST CONCERNED BECAUSE
THIS FLAG FLYING HERE IS RIGHT
NEXT TO METROPOLITAN PARK
WHERE THERE ARE KIDS AND
OTHERS WHO COME HERE, EVEN
THOUGH IT’S KIND OF HARD TO
SEE BECAUSE IT’S WAY UP IN THE