Confederate battle flag removed from South Carolina’s Capitol grounds

A crowd cheers as a South Carolina state police honor guard lowers the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds in Columbia, South Carolina.

A South Carolina state police honor guard lowers the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds in Columbia, South Carolina.

A crowd cheers as a South Carolina honor guard lowers the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds.

An honor guard from the South Carolina Highway patrol lowers the Confederate battle flag as it is removed from the Capitol grounds.

A South Carolina honor guard prepares to lower the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds in Columbia, South Carolina.

Bernard Jackson paints across the street from the South Carolina state house in Columbia, South Carolina.

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, fourth from left, and her staff look out from the Capitol building as media and citizens gather to witness the removal of the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds in Columbia.

John Blankenship watches the sun rise on Confederate battle flag at the South Carolina state house in Columbia, SC.

A woman waves a sign as she waits for the Confederate battle flag to be removed from in front of the South Carolina Statehouse Friday.

A police officer walks a dog on the steps of the South Carolina Statehouse as the state prepares to remove a Confederate battle flag from in front of the South Carolina Statehouse.