South Carolina – The U.S. flag flew high outside a sheriff’s office in South Carolina on Monday, Dec. 9., in defiance of an order from President Barack Obama to lower all flags in memory of the late South African leader Nelson Mandela.

Pickens County Sheriff Rick Clark said he believed the lowering of the flag to half-staff was a tribute that should be reserved for U.S. citizens.

“To show a sign of respect for what Nelson Mandela’s done, I have no problem with lowering it in South Africa, in their country,” Clark told a local television station.

“But in our country, it should be the people, in my opinion, who have sacrificed for our country.”

On Friday, Dec. 6, the sheriff’s flag flew at half-staff in honor of a South Carolina law enforcement officer who was killed in the line of duty and it remained lowered through Pearl Harbor Day on Saturday.

The flag was raised to the top of the mast on Monday, however, and the sheriff’s office said Clark would have no further comment beyond what he told a local TV reporter.

Obama ordered flags to be flown at half staff until sunset Monday.