Some Ames residents are outraged after they claimed a racist display was imprudently placed at a well-attended public event.A vendor displayed the Confederate flag during Ames Main Street Bike Night last week, sparking controversy. The Main Street Cultural District apologized for the display and said they’re reviewing their policies.Gavin Aronsen, of the Iowa Informer, said there was “a truck full of memorabilia smack dab in the center of the 200 block of Main Street with a Confederate flag flying on its roof – a racist throwback to the slave-owning South” at the June 24 bike night.Aronsen also mentioned rings and patches adorned with the flag.“I think the flag is problematic,” said Randy McConnell, of Fayetteville, Arkansas.Cindy Hicks, executive director of the Main Street Cultural District, said the event happens every fourth Friday of the month, from April throughout August.“As an event, we are operating off of our funds,” Hicks said. “We can pick and choose what vendors we want in our event. We can’t tell them what they can or cannot sell.”The Cultural District issued a statement that reads in part, “A mistake was made in allowing this vendor to display merchandise of a politically and socially charged nature. We are in the final stages of developing our policies to keep future vendors from making overt political statements at our events.”“When we start to take away things that are offensive to one or two people, where does that stop?” said Matt Merical, general manager of Zylstra Harley-Davidson. “We need to make sure people have a right to express themselves.”“It wasn’t something that for sure Main Street condone to,” Ames Bike Night founder Joshua Duchene said. “It was just overlooked, and I think that (Aronsen) totally took advantage of the situation.”

Some Ames residents are outraged after they claimed a racist display was imprudently placed at a well-attended public event.



A vendor displayed the Confederate flag during Ames Main Street Bike Night last week, sparking controversy.




[VIDEO: Confederate flag display at bike night renews controversy]

The Main Street Cultural District apologized for the display and said they’re reviewing their policies.



Gavin Aronsen, of the Iowa Informer, said there was “a truck full of memorabilia smack dab in the center of the 200 block of Main Street with a Confederate flag flying on its roof – a racist throwback to the slave-owning South” at the June 24 bike night.



Aronsen also mentioned rings and patches adorned with the flag.



“I think the flag is problematic,” said Randy McConnell, of Fayetteville, Arkansas.



Cindy Hicks, executive director of the Main Street Cultural District, said the event happens every fourth Friday of the month, from April throughout August.



“As an event, we are operating off of our funds,” Hicks said. “We can pick and choose what vendors we want in our event. We can’t tell them what they can or cannot sell.”



The Cultural District issued a statement that reads in part, “A mistake was made in allowing this vendor to display merchandise of a politically and socially charged nature. We are in the final stages of developing our policies to keep future vendors from making overt political statements at our events.”



“When we start to take away things that are offensive to one or two people, where does that stop?” said Matt Merical, general manager of Zylstra Harley-Davidson. “We need to make sure people have a right to express themselves.”



“It wasn’t something that for sure Main Street condone to,” Ames Bike Night founder Joshua Duchene said. “It was just overlooked, and I think that (Aronsen) totally took advantage of the situation.”