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Confederate flag theft sparked protests

A student who led a two-day demonstration outside of his central Michigan high school this week says it was in response to the unpunished theft of a Confederate battle flag from his pickup truck. Cameron Myers, an 18-year-old senior at Bay City Western High School, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he complained to school officials that someone had cut the large Confederate flag from a pole on his truck, but no one was disciplined. He then took to friends on social media, asking them to fly their own flags outside the school. 

After two days of protests by Myers and his friends, who were met Wednesday by counter-protesters waving rainbow flags and anti-racism placards, classes were canceled Thursday due to an unspecified threat. Myers says he's not racist and his demonstration shouldn't be seen as such.

His grandmother, Lynn Boyce, says everything has been "blown out of proportion." She also says her grandson and his friends won't be continuing the protest Friday.