Tribute to Queen Elizabeth Destroyed 

BY MAGGIE OLIVE KLEIN
KONKLIFE STAFF WRITER AND EDITOR

The Southernmost Point marker was decorated by the City of Key West this past Friday, September 16th, with a purple banner and a British flag to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. The tribute was supposed to remain through her funeral on Monday, September 19th, but unfortunately was tampered with on Sunday morning.  

The Southernmost Point Marker in Key West is a landmark delineating the continental United States southernmost spot of land. It is a 20-ton concrete monument painted red, yellow, black, and white, and resembles a giant marine navigational buoy, installed in 1983, and serves to be a popular photo stop for tourists. The memorial was fitting for The Queen, as she had visited the Keys back in 1991. 

Webcam footage shows a man stealing the flag from the temporary display on Sunday, September 18th. This man, amongst two others, disrespectfully lowered the flag, removed it, and shoved it under his arm. The video showed these three men standing by the buoy before the destruction occurred. One of the men, holding a leashed dog, posed for a photo by the display prior to the destruction. 

In a statement on Friday for the unveiling of the Southernmost Point Display, Mayor Teri Johnston said, “The queen is such an important icon in the world, and she’s such a strong woman and incredible leader, that we are here to pay homage to her.” She continued to express Key West’s tribute to honoring and mourning the loss of such an incredible and revolutionary human being. Upon hearing the news of the display destruction, Johnston told the Miami Herald on Monday that she wants the people responsible to be arrested and charged. She noted that this was an act of incredible disrespect, and that action needs to be taken. 

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