Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe WILLOUGHBY, Ohio, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Officials in an Ohio city apologized for any offense caused when a U.S. flag was removed from a pole in a city park and replaced with Santa Claus. Willoughby officials said the Santa Claus atop the flagpole in an Erie Street public park was part of a display that has been erected in the area each holiday season for more than a decade, WJW-TV, Cleveland, reported Wednesday. Advertisement However, the officials said they will find a new home for Santa next year after numerous complaints from residents and even some out-of-towners who saw the flag's removal as unpatriotic. "Right now, we are at war and I think to have a flagpole in the middle of the town without a flag on it is like, to me, unpatriotic," Lake County resident Linda Wilson said. Parks & Recreation Director Brian Katz said Santa cannot be relocated this holiday season because he is wired in place. "We're definitely going to take care of it for seasons to come," he said. The official said this was the first year officials received any complaints about the flagpole Santa. Advertisement "We realize there's concern out there now and we never meant to insult anybody, any of the armed forces, they do wonderful things for us, day in and day out," Katz said.
