Kouvola clarifies flag rules after Pride flag dispute

Kouvola has clarified its flagging rules after a dispute over Pride flags led the city to ban outside flags from its flagpoles. The changes took effect immediately, Yle reports.

In October, the city executive board decided that only official flags could fly on city flagpoles, ruling out flags from sports clubs as well. The decision followed initiatives by several councillors calling for Pride flags to be removed from the flagpoles at city hall.

Last week, the city’s facilities services clarified the rules. Top sports clubs with marketing agreements with the city can fly flags at Kymen Lukko, a junction near city hall, and outside sports venues on competition days. The clubs are Kouvolan Pallonlyöjät, KooKoo, Kouvottaret and Kouvot.

Daycare centres can also fly green flags connected to their environmental programme. Poikilo Museum can display its own flags, and people renting Kuusankoskitalo or Kouvolatalo can agree with the city on flags for those venues.

At city hall, only official flags are allowed: the Finnish flag on official flag days, the NATO and EU flags on occasions such as Europe Day, and a visiting country’s flag during state visits. Sports clubs will not be allowed to fly flags there.

Deputy Mayor Tuukka Forsell said the rules had been clarified rather than changed. KooKoo said on social media over the weekend that it would no longer fly flags on the city’s flagpoles. Forsell said this may have resulted from a communication breakdown, as the club can still fly flags at its match venue.