South Carolina lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to consider removing the Confederate battle flag from the grounds of the state Capitol in the wake of the massacre of nine African-American churchgoers in Charleston. The vote came as hundreds of protesters rallied against the flag, which was embraced by the white shooting suspect, Dylann Roof. Charleston City Council President J. Elliott Summey was among those calling for the flag to go.

J. Elliott Summey: “And the lord don’t want that flag flying on our state House grounds. It’s time for the Senate and the House to act, and if they don’t do it today, the word will be that we’ll be back, and we’re going to keep coming back until that flag is down and put in a museum. It’s time for South Carolina to show the world who we are as a people.”

Slain pastor Clementa Pinckney is lying in state at the South Carolina Capitol today. It’s unclear if the Confederate flag will remain flying outside. In a Twitter post, South Carolina Representative James Clyburn wrote: “Current SC law may require 2/3 vote to remove the Confed Battle flag but legislators could change that law w/ a simply majority.”