Pa. mayor rejects request to fly Dominican flag

Associated Press

HAZLETON, Pa. (AP) — The mayor of a heavily Latino town in eastern Pennsylvania says he won't fly the Dominican Republic's flag at city hall to commemorate that country's founding.

Hazleton Mayor Joseph Yannuzzi cited state law in rejecting the request from the nonprofit Dominican House.

The Standard-Speaker (http://bit.ly/NmrjlL ) reported that a foreign flag may fly only if a minister or consul of that country is present.

But Dominican House President Victor Perez notes the Irish flag flew at city hall in 2012 to mark St. Patrick's Day.

Perez says it sounds like officials are discriminating against Dominicans. The organization wants to celebrate Dominican independence on Feb. 27.

Hazleton made national headlines in 2006 for passing ordinances that cracked down on immigrants who entered the country illegally. Courts have since struck down the laws.

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Information from: Standard-Speaker, http://www.standardspeaker.com