Fact Check: Is Minneapolis celebrating America 250 by waving Somali flag instead of US flag?
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Ahead of the much-awaited Fourth of July, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms claiming that the Somali community in Minneapolis is celebrating ahead of the day by waving Somali flags, sparking concerns and criticisms. Let us analyze and fact-check the claim.
Claim: Minneapolis waved Somali flags ahead of America 250 celebrations
The rumor spread, showing an image from Minneapolis, allegedly ahead of the Fourth of July celebration, showing a massive crowd of people waving Somali flags.
One post on X that shared the claim and has garnered more than a hundred thousand views was accompanied by two images, with one showing a July 4th celebration in Japan and the other showing the waving of the Somali flag in Minneapolis.
The image has drawn debate and scrutiny about patriotism and immigration, while others dismissed the image as misleading, calling for a fact check.
Fact Check: The photo shows Somali Independence Day celebration
Although the viral image authentically shows a crowd in Minneapolis waving the flag of Somalia, the claim that accompanies it is misleading.
A reverse image search for the viral photo revealed that it shows the Somali Independence Day celebration, where thousands of people gathered along West Lake Street on Saturday, June 27, for the 23rd annual celebration, recognized as the largest such celebration involving the community in the US, which was also attended by Somali-origin Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
Additionally, a search on Google for the claim yielded no credible reports by prominent news media outlets that say the Somali community was waving the Somali flag instead of the American flag.
A fact check by Grok stated, “The city of Minneapolis did not celebrate America's 250th anniversary or July 4 by waving Somali flags instead of US flags."
"The image in the post comes from the annual Somali Independence Day Festival (Somalia's July 1 independence), held around June 27, 2026, on Lake Street as part of Somali Week."
"This is a cultural community event by the large local Somali population, featuring Somali flags, not an official city-wide replacement for US Independence Day observances.”
Trump to kick off America 250 celebrations at Mount Rushmore
President Donald Trump will speak in the evening at Mount Rushmore before a fireworks display, kicking off a weekend of celebrations for the 250th anniversary across the country.
A pyrotechnics company from Pennsylvania plans to launch over 850,000 fireworks in Washington, aiming to set a world record during the capital's Independence Day celebration.
