GETTYSBURG — Supporters and opponents of use of the Confederate flag clashed verbally in opposing demonstrations at Gettysburg National Military Park, with tensions high at times.

Cumberland Township police and park officers had to separate a few people Saturday afternoon before disagreements became physical.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans Gettysburg said their Confederate Flag Day gathering at the park’s Eternal Peace Light Monument was intended to honor Southern ancestors.

A counter demonstration was organized by Scott Hancock, Gettysburg College associate professor of history and Africana studies, who said he wanted to offer a different perspective on the flag’s meaning.