Maple Leaf waved on Lopez flagpoles

Several Lopez Island businesses were surprised to find the morning of July 4 that their American flags had been removed during the night, and replaced with Canadian flags They were the Lopez Islander, Lopez Island Kayaks, Islands Marine Center (IMC), and the Lopez Library. The ferry landing had an added addition -- a sign welcoming visitors to Canada.

The flags at local businesses and the library were accompanied by a typed note which read: “Welcome to Canada: Have no fear. We are here to ensure your freedoms. Your flag has been mailed to your address. It should arrive in a few days; sorry for any inconvenience. For hilarity’s sake do not hurry to remove this flag, leave it up for a few days. If you decide to discard it, please donate it to the ‘take it or leave it’” (the locals’ name for the Lopez transfer station).

The message writers were apparently true to their word. Islands Marine Center’s American flag arrived in the mail Monday morning. There was no return address on the envelope, however.

The prank left many people scratching their heads and wondering what the act and note were supposed to mean.

“It didn’t really make a lot of sense to me,” said John Adams, of Lopez Island Kayaks. “It must have been a political statement... but nobody actually understands what any of it means.” The prank left Adams frustrated. “I’d like to have my flag back. I don’t know if they want their Canadian flag back, but we’d be glad to trade them.”

“Isn’t that stealing?” Adams asked.

Ron Meng, of IMC, noticed the Canadian flag when he arrived for work. He believes the pranksters were well-organized with brand new Canadian flags and typed notes. Meng immediatley removed the flag and replaced it with a U.S. flag. “It’s pretty bizarre that somebody would do that,” he said.

The Lopez Islander lowered the Canadian flag, then raised it again with the U.S. flag on top. “We just considered it as some kind of prank,” said Kathy Casey, manager. “It was all in fun, I guess.”

The sign at the Lopez ferry landing read “Welcome to Canada” and left people wondering what this was all about. Employee Sorrel North felt it was a prank of some sort, while agent Pat McCombs wondered if the sign had anything to do with the July 1 Canadian holiday.