A Minnesota city council meeting erupted in displays of the U.S. flag and chants of “USA, USA” after officials canceled the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to kick off each meeting.

The St. Louis Park City Council announced the end of the Pledge during its June 17 meeting. The move was reportedly made to serve a “more diverse community,” the council said, according to Fox News.

“We concluded that in order to create a more welcoming environment to a diverse community we’re going to forgo saying the Pledge of Allegiance before every meeting,” Councilman Tim Brausen said last month.

Council member Anne Mavity, who pushed the ban on the Pledge, said that reciting the Pledge may make non-citizens that deal with the city uncomfortable. Mavity also called the Pledge an “unnecessary component” to the city meetings.

But the announcement did not sit well with many citizens of the Minneapolis suburb.

The latest council meeting held on Monday featured a large number of citizens carrying American flags and chanting patriotic slogans.

Some of the council members are unapologetic over the ban. Brausen was reportedly heard scoffing that “Minnesotans are upset because we are playing with their hallowed traditions.”

Ultimately, Mayor Jake Spano tried to pull back on the Pledge ban saying that the June vote was too hasty and taken without enough deliberation. He proposed more debate on the issue.

Several citizens told the media that they hope the council reverses the decision and reinstates the Pledge.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.