SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- The United State Marine Corps is ordering the removal of the Confederate battle flag from public display and in work spaces aboard its installations, such as Camp Pendleton.
The announcement was made late Friday night amid fiery protests across the country against racism and police killings.
"Today, the Marine Corps released guidance on the removal of public displays of the Confederate battle flag," read a post on USMC's official Twitter account.
The order bans all depictions of the Confederate battle flag, including clothing, posters, mugs, bumper stickers, and the flag itself.
"Our history as a nation, and events like the violence in Charlottesville in 2017, highlight the divisiveness the use of the Confederate battle flag has had on our society," said USMC. "This presents a threat to our core values, unit cohesion, security, and good order and discipline."
In 2017, white nationalists groups rallied against the proposed removal of a statue of Confederate soldier Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville. It was one of several controversial monuments targeted for removal following a massacre two years earlier in which a white supremacist gunned down nine black church members in Charleston. The rally saw violent clashes, including the death of a 32-year-old woman who was killed when a car rammed into a group of counter-protesters.
USMC allows for the flag to be displayed in works of art, educational or historical displays depicting a Civil War battle where the flag is present but not the main focus of the work.
It also does not ban the display of state flags and license plates which incorporate the Confederate battle flag.
"It is impossible to specify every possible exception that may apply. Commanders are expected to apply their best judgment informed by the spirit and intent of this maradmin," said USMC. "If a commander encounters questionable circumstances, the command staff judge advocate shall be contacted for legal review and advice."
