As President Donald Trump ordered flags flown at half-staff in the wake of the political assassination of Charlie Kirk, Aurora Mayor John Laesch ordered the city’s flags, which had been lowered in honor of 9/11, restored to full staff.

The decision prompted Danny Souri, chairman of the Aurora Township Republicans, to lower the flag at city hall to half-staff Saturday. He also put up a flag at half-staff at the police station.

On Sunday, Laesch confirmed, “I sent an email to city staff and asked them to raise them back to full (staff the day after 9/11).” He says the mayor has jurisdiction over the city buildings.

In explaining his decision, he said, “For me, I think it severely diminishes the act of lowering the flag as an act of remembrance of tragedies like Sept. 11, when we lower the flag for a political activist or pundit,” Laesch said. “If you lowered the flags at every shooting, they would be permanently flown at half (staff) in the United States.”

The deputy mayor confirmed the flag at city hall has been restored to full staff, Laesch said. Other flags around the city are being checked.

“We’ll assess if there is any damage caused to city property. But this isn’t out to settle any political vendettas or politicize this.”

He emphasized the need for “more rational thought applied to the rather serious act of lowering the flag of the United States,” adding that such gestures should be reserved for figures like Martin Luther King Jr. or past presidents.

He also noted that the president did not order flags at half-staff in the wake of the Henry Pratt shootings or for former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, in what he called “a real political assassination.”

Souri, who documented his actions on social media, said he was motivated by a desire to honor victims of political violence and to call for unity in the wake of recent events.

“There needs to be a real act of unity to turn down the temperature,” Souri said. “Even our governor ... sent his message for everyone to lower the flags to denounce political violence.”

Souri said he and a group of supporters gathered at the police station Saturday afternoon, where, he said, police officers allowed them to lower the flag as long as no property was damaged.

“The police stood down and stood in solidarity, which was beautiful,” Souri said.

Souri continued his campaign by lowering flags at government buildings. He said he found the flag at city hall unlocked and was able to lower the flag.

“It’s an interesting act for a private citizen to run around on city property to adjust the flags to his liking,” Laesch said about the lowering of the flag on Saturday. “I’m sure that over the next four years, I will see more bizarre things than that.”