An American flag was flown upside down on a city flagpole during a Somali Independence Day event at Lake George Park Pavilion in St Cloud, Minnesota, on 3 July, prompting complaints to police and a wave of anger online after footage of the scene went viral. Displaying the flag inverted is traditionally a signal of distress, and the incident has become a flashpoint locally, with organisers apologising and insisting it was accidental while some residents and officials remain sceptical that such an error could have gone unnoticed.

According to St Cloud Police, a call was received at 5.29pm reporting the inverted flag, and an officer "corrected the flag without objection", with organisers telling city staff the display was not intentional. Video obtained by Fox News Digital showed the flag upside down as up to around 500 people attended at peak times, and critics noted that local politicians giving speeches, along with organisations such as the AFL-CIO and the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, had a presence at the event. City Councilman Scott Brodeen said he was "disgusted" both by the display and that it went unnoticed, raised the matter at a Monday council meeting, and said police confirmed they had received complaints before the flag was righted.