Man Claims He Was Told To Remove Flag: A “Threat to Muslims”

A man in Webster, Texas claims his apartment manager told him to remove his American Flag because it was a “threat to the Muslim community.”

In a story covered by KHOU 11, Duy Tran told the media that he was instructed to remove the American flag displayed on his apartment balcony because the apartment manager told him it was a “threat to the Muslim community.”

Management Responses

When KHOU pressed the apartment manager of the Lodge on El Dorado about what was said to Tran, she would not answer, but instead handed them a statement which read:

“While the Lodge on El Dorado admires our resident’s patriotism, we must enforce our property rules and guidelines. Such guidelines maintain the aesthetics of our apartment community and provide for the safety of all residents. The apartment community already proudly displays our country’s flag in a safe and appropriate manner at the entrances to our community.”

The Lodge on El Dorado changed its Facebook cover photo (page has since been removed) to one which shows the Texas and American flags flying on their property. It also issued another response on its website, which reads:

Stars and Stripes Misunderstanding

We understand that the recent events surrounding the display of the United States Flag on the balcony railing has caused a great deal of consternation. We regret that the policies, consistent with the hotel and apartment industry, have created an incorrect perception that we are not supportive of patriotism.

Residents are allowed to display flags inside their balconies. However, tarps, tents, flags, towels or clothing are not permitted on or over the railing of balconies and patios in order to maintain an aesthetically consistent image.

We are committed to providing a safe, comfortable and pleasant living environment to our residents through service, attention to detail and exacting expectations. Our goal is to deliver a positive living experience for all of our residents and regret the misunderstanding.

We apologize for anything that may have been communicated regarding the policy that was offensive to Mr. Tran at The Lodge on El Dorado in Webster, Texas. We admire our resident’s patriotism and proudly display our Country’s flag at the entrance to our community.

The management website was no longer working as of August 2014.

Watch the KHOU report below.

KHOU noted that other residents had patriotic symbols on display. None of Tran’s neighbors that KHOU interviewed expressed discontent with the flag, and several said they believed the flag should stay.

Bottom Line

A Texas resident has claimed that he was instructed to remove an American flag from his apartment balcony because it was a threat to the Muslim community. The apartment manager did not confirm or deny the accusation, and none of the man’s neighbors expressed concerns about the flag on display. The apartment released two statements in response to the story, but critics have pointed out that there has been no actual denial regarding the manager’s words about the flag and Muslims.