Mayor: San Rafael flags to stay at half-staff in gun protest

American flags fly at half-mast in Washington in this file photo. The mayor of San Rafael is ordering the city's American flags to remain lowered until Congress takes "significant" steps to stop gun violence. American flags fly at half-mast in Washington in this file photo. The mayor of San Rafael is ordering the city's American flags to remain lowered until Congress takes "significant" steps to stop gun violence. Photo: JIM WATSON / AFP/Getty Images Photo: JIM WATSON / AFP/Getty Images Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Mayor: San Rafael flags to stay at half-staff in gun protest 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

The mayor of San Rafael is so frustrated by Congress' failure to curb gun violence that he has ordered all flags on city property lowered to half-staff indefinitely, according to the Marin Independent Journal.

Municipalities around the country were already flying the flag at half-staff after President Donald Trump ordered federal sites to lower flags through Thursday as "a mark of solemn respect" for the dead and wounded in the Dayton and El Paso shootings. But Mayor Gary Phillips is turning the observance into a protest.

He ordered the city's flags to remain lowered until at least Sept. 16 if Congress hasn't made "significant progress" on gun reform.

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"To do nothing is not acceptable to San Rafael," he said at this week's City Council meeting.

As for what actions should be taken, Phillips said that is something for Congress to decide "as that is their job."

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Mike Moffitt is an SFGATE Digital Reporter. Email: moffitt@sfgate.com. Twitter: @Mike_at_SFGate.